Emma and Ella
by charmings88
Summary: What if Emma had a twin? A twin that came shortly after Charming took baby Emma to the wardrobe? Read to find out about what it might have been like if Emma had a twin sister named Ella.
1. New Beginnings

Story: Emma and Ella

Chapter: New Beginnings

Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time characters are not mine!

A/N: This is another story I wrote a while ago and decided to start to share. I have more written and if you liked it, let me know and I will add another chapter. Hope you like!

Emma and Ella

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

Emma has a younger twin sister named Ella. Emma was born five minutes early and Charming ran her to the wardrobe, not aware that his wife was having twins. Ella was born and since the Evil Queen didn't know about her, she wasn't frozen in the curse. She continued to grow even though the town was stuck at the same age.

Mary Margaret woke up in Storybrooke and went out to work like any other day when she found a baby on her doorstep. She took the baby in and later adopted her.

Ella grew up in Storybrooke. After awhile she realized she was the only one aging. She also started to see the uncanny resemblance she had to her adopted mother. The only thing that didn't match was her eyes. Ella's were blue unlike her mom's green eyes and her hair.

Ella began to search for her father when she was 11. She was convinced that the town was cursed and Mary Margaret was actually her mom. Her mom had found an old book called Once Upon A Time that she gave to Ella. It hadn't taken long for Ella to begin to believe in all the stories it told including that her Mary Margaret was Snow White. The only thing she didn't understand was that she was found no where in the book. Snow White and Prince Charming had a girl named Emma. Emma was taken to the wardrobe to escape the curse. There was no other child...there was no mention of a second child.

*****OUAT*****

 _At the hospital with Mary Margaret's 5th grade class that included Ella._

Ella had almost lost hope in finding Prince Charming, that she hoped was also her real father. She always wanted a father. She loved her mom, but she never had a dad and she wanted to know what it would be like.

She wandered through the patients and came to a room at the back that just had one patient. She quietly snuck in the room to see a blond haired man laying in the bed. She gasped before pulling out the storybook. She quickly turned to the picture that showed Prince Charming's face. She touched the scar on the page before slowly walking towards the man. She looked at his face and found the same scar.

"Ella!" Snow whispered yelled and Ella jumped. "You shouldn't be in here."

Ella looked back at the man with all the machines connected to him. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's in a coma, Ella. He's been like this since as long as I can remember."

"He can come out of it, right?" Ella asked in concern.

"I hope so, but I wouldn't count on it. Come on, we better get going." Snow said softly as she made her way back to the door.

Ella looked back down and tentatively touched the man's hand. "Wake up." She whispered.

When he didn't wake up, she started to walk away disappointed, but as she did the machines started beeping so she turned around to see that the man had moved his hand, the hand that she touched. "He's waking up!" Ella said in excitement.

Before she could turn to her mom, a bunch of hospital staff were rushing into his room and her mom was pulling her out of the room.

"Wait! We need to..." Ella started.

"Ella, it's none of our business. Let the hospital staff help him." Snow said as she pulled Ella away from the room and back to the class.

Ella never found out what the man's name was and if he actually woke up until a half a year later when a newspaper article came out about the man, David Nolan.

It had taken a few weeks for David to wake up from the coma. At first he remembered nothing of his life and was freaked out about all the machines and strange instruments, but after a visit from the mayor, he remembered he was David Nolan. He was recently divorced from Kathryn Nolan because he wanted a family and she didn't. It took a few months for David to regain his strength and recover from the coma he had been in, but he was finally released to leave the hospital.

It read in the newspaper that David was planning on finding a job and fostering a child. He always wanted a family so he wasn't going to wait any longer to have one.

Ella slammed down the paper. He didn't need to foster a child! He had a child right here in Storybrooke, she was his child (she now fully believed that he was her Dad despite her not being in the book).

6 months later...

Emma was a 12-year-old (almost 13) that was harden to the idea that she would ever get her happy ending. All she ever wanted was her real parents to show up and take her home with them, but that never happened.

Emma had been in and out of foster homes since she was three. She had been adopted when she was a baby, but her adopted parents sent her back when they got pregnant with their own baby. She was no stranger to moving so this time was no different. She was going to a town called Storybrooke to live with a David Nolan. She knew this home would be temporary just like all the rest. Nothing ever changed.

They pulled up to a little white house with blue shutters that wasn't much too look at, but it was well kept and cute.

"Emma, I think you will really like David. He's a great guy." Her social worker told her.

Emma grunted. She had heard that before.

"Please give him a chance. He really wants a kid and I think you two will be perfect for each other."

Emma didn't believe her, but didn't argue with her. She learned not to have expectations or at least not to have high expectations of foster parents. Then she couldn't be disappointed when they weren't what she had expected.

"Come on, let's go."

Emma grabbed her beaten up backpack and her black trash bag that she was given to put her things in, even though she only had a couple of things.

They rang the doorbell and the door opened quickly to reveal a tall blonde man that seemed very excited that they were there.

"You must be Mrs. Delarosa." He said as he stretched out his hand to shake her hand.

"Yes, and you must be David Nolan." She said as she shook his hand.

"It's nice to meet you." David said kindly before looking at the little blonde girl, he assumed was Emma. "And you must be Emma." He said softly as he put out his hand for her to shake it.

Emma stiffened at the gesture and looked at him in uncertainty, but then tentatively took his hand to shake. David smiled widely at her and she almost smiled back, almost.

"Come on in. I'll give you a tour of the place. It's small, but it's clean." David told them as he shut the door behind them.

"Through here is the kitchen." David said as he brought them to the kitchen which was small with a little breakfast nook with a table. "Over here is the living room." The living room had a small TV, a couch, a couple of chairs, a coffee table, not much else.

There was also a dining room that was rarely used.

"Upstairs, will be where your room is Emma." David said softly as he led them upstairs.

Emma was expecting a dinky little room that didn't have much in it at all. She normally had to share a room with other foster kids so it would be nice to not share her room at least.

"It's not much, but we can change it however way you want." David warned before opening the door and letting Emma walk in first.

Emma couldn't believe it. It was so nice. There was a full size bed with a white fluffy comforter with purple plush blanket on the end of the bed. There were side tables on either side of the bed. There was a dresser, desk and a closet. She would never have enough clothes to fill them. The best part of the room was by the window. There was a window seat that was patted in dark purple cushions with a couple of decorative pillows on it. There was a lamp and even a book shelf with a few books on it. It was amazing.

"What do you think Emma?" Her social worker asked with a smile.

"It's...great." Emma said truthfully. She loved it.

David smiled.

"Emma, why don't you settle in while David signs a few papers?"

Emma nodded, knowing the drill.

After they left, she allowed herself to smile. She had never had a room this nice. From what she could tell this was the nicest room in the house. It actually was decorated unlike the rest. It was painted a light purple color with a few picture frames on the walls. She dropped her things and went to the desk and saw that it was stocked with paper, pens, and pencils and anything else she'd need. She couldn't believe how prepared it was.

As Emma looked around, a little thought came into her head..."maybe this time would be different."

It took work and time, but after two weeks of living together, Emma and David made things work for them. Emma secretly respected David even if he had certain rules that most her foster parents did not have, like needing to know where and who she was with all the time. She actually didn't mind the rule most of the time...

Today was the first day of school at Storybrooke Middle School. She was going into 6th grade. David had insisted on buying her new clothes and new supplies to start the year off. She told him it wasn't necessary, but he insisted so now she had triple the amount of clothes then what she came with. He also got her a new pair of boots, a red leather jacket that she liked, and a pair of tennis shoes. She had never been so prepared for the first day of school.

"Ready, Em?" David asked as he saw Emma coming downstairs with her backpack. David was taking her to Granny's for breakfast as a celebration meal before her first day of school.

"Yeah." Emma said with a nod.

David smiled as he put his jacket on.

"So am I just walking home from school?" Emma asked.

"No, I'll come pick you up after school and you can stay at the station with me till I get off." David told her as he ushered her out of the door and to the truck.

"David, you don't have to do that. I can walk or even ride the bus." Emma said not wanting to be a bother.

"I know, but first the week I'd rather drive you. Next week, if you are comfortable with it, you can ride the bus to and from school and then walked to the station from there." David told her honestly.

Emma nodded, thinking no other foster parent ever cared this much about her feelings.

After eating at Granny's, David drove Emma to Storybrooke Middle School and walked her into the office.

"You will be in Ms. Blanchard's class for homeroom. Here is a list of your schedule. Your locker number is 88 and it is located right across from your homeroom. Here is your lock. There are instructions on the back, along with the combination. If you have any questions you can ask any of your teachers and they'd love to help you."

David helped Emma find her locker that was across from her room 116 that was her homeroom. He helped her with her lock and showed her how to use it. He even helped her memorize the combination.

"Here's your first class. It looks like it's English." David said softly as they stood in front of the room. David noticed how nervous Emma looked so he decided to go in with her to meet the teacher to help her feel more comfortable.

He knew of Ms. Blanchard and her daughter, but he had never met them. They walked to an empty room besides the teacher at her desk and one student at her desk.

"Mom, it isn't that I don't like you being my teacher, but the other kids call me the teacher's pet because I'm your daughter. Did you have to move up with me? Wait-are you going to move up with me every year?!" Ella asked in shock, unaware of David and Emma.

"Oh calm down Ella..." Snow said before looking up from her desk to see they had company. "Oh excuse us, I didn't see you come in. My name is Ms. Blanchard."

Ella was turning red as she realized that someone else over heard her conversation.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Blanchard. I'm David Nolan" Ella had snapped up to look over at the man, who was putting an hand on a blonde girl's shoulder. "And this is Emma Swan. She will be in your first period English class."

Ella was shocked. Emma?! Could she be the Emma from the book? The daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?! The Savior? She then realized Emma was staying with her Dad (she was totally convinced he was her Dad now) and she didn't really like that. If she was honest with herself, she was jealous. She wanted to live with her Dad, but now Emma got to! It was totally unfair!

"Ella!" Her mom called to her again and she realized she had been lost in her thoughts. "Come over here please."

Ella rolled her eyes which didn't go unnoticed by anyone in the room. Her mom gave her a look to cut it out. She got up and came over to them.

"This is my daughter, Ella. Ella, this is Emma." Ms. Blanchard introduced the girls.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you, Emma." Ella said politely, but wasn't too sure she liked her 'sister' yet.

"Hi." Emma said shyly. She hated meeting new people.

"Ella can help you today. The whole class has the same schedule so it should be easy to get to all your classes, but Ella can help you. You will start and end your day in my class. If you have any questions, you can ask me or Ella." Ms. Blanchard said kindly.

"That should be very helpful, thank you Ms. Blanchard." David said, genuinely thankful. He really like Ms. Blanchard. He had never met anyone like her before. She was so incredible kind.

"It's no problem, I'm looking forward to having Emma in my class." Mary Margaret said as she shyly avoided his eyes.

"Ella, why don't you show Emma around the building and show her where all her classes will be. You two still have 15 minutes before class starts." Mary Margaret suggested.

Ella nodded.

"Alright, I should be going. It was really nice meeting you both." David said kindly.

"Emma, I'll pick you up outside the front doors. Have a good day, Em." David said softly as he looked down at her.

"Okay." Emma said with just a hint of nervousness that only David could see.

He gave her an encouraging smile, but then frowned when he realized he forgot one thing! "I forgot to make you your lunch!" David panicked.

"David, I don't need a lunch. I'm fine." Emma said seriously and Ms. Blanchard frowned.

"Yes you do." David said seriously, before turning to Ms. Blanchard. "How much is school lunches?"

"They are two dollars, but we also have al cart lunch that varies, but normally the kids can get lunch for 3 dollars there."

David was already pulling out his wallet. "Here, get whatever you want, but just make sure you eat something." David handed her a five dollar bill.

"David, that's too much." Emma started to protest.

David just gave her a look before responding. "You can keep the change. Have a good day, sweetie."

Emma smiled softly before heading out of the room with Ella.

"She seems like a really nice girl."

"She is, but she is used to being in rough homes. I'm trying my best to give her a good one." David said as he turned back to Ms. Blanchard.

"It looks like your doing a good job." Mary Margaret said.

"Thanks and it was very nice to meet you, Ms. Blanchard." David said softly.

"You can call me, Mary Margaret, Mr. Nolan."

David smiled softly, "Alright, Mary Margaret, but please call me David."

"I will." Mary Margaret said with a shy smile.

David nodded before heading to the door.

"Mr. I mean David, would you and Emma, like to come over for dinner tonight? I know it must be hard for Emma coming to a new school and town, it might be nice for her and Ella to get to know each other." Mary Margaret said, with a new found boldness.

David was pleased to say the least and didn't hesitated to accept. "We would love to."

"Alright, see you at 6:30."

"See you then, Mary Margaret." David said with a charming smile.

*****OUAT*****

"So here is the cafeteria. We will eat here in 6th period. Anything else you'd like to see?" Ella said kindly, despite her feelings.

"No, I should be fine." Emma said quietly.

Ella nodded. "It's not too big of school, but most of the kids are nice and the teachers are nice too."

Emma and Ella started walking back to the room, but halfway to the room, Ella had to ask her new found sister a question.

"So David's like your Dad?"

"I don't have a dad. David is my foster parent." Emma snapped.

"But he's your foster Dad." Ella said.

"I told you I don't have a dad. I'm an orphan." Emma snapped again.

"Got it." Ella said sarcastically.

"You know, you seem nice in all, but I don't really do friends. It just makes it easier when I eventually leave." Emma said in frustration. She wasn't normal and she had done this so many times that having someone try to be nice just because they had to was really annoying.

Ella rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Emma rolled her eyes too.

If anyone else saw them, they would think they looked like twins besides the different colored hair and eyes.

 **Please Review! Let me know what you think!**


	2. New Friends

A/N: Thanks for the views, favorites, and reviews! All appreciated! Here is another chapter that I think you will enjoy!

Emma and Ella

Chapter 2: New Friends

3:45pm

Emma jumped into the truck, relieved the day was over.

"How was school?" David asked, happy to see his foster daughter. He had missed her since this was the first day that he had gone back to work as well as her first day of school.

"Good." Emma said. It was as good as it gets besides that she snapped on Ella earlier that morning and possibly ended a friendship before it started.

"I'm glad." David said before handing her a hot chocolate with cinnamon. "Here I picked up a hot cocoa for you from Granny's."

"Thanks!" Emma said in excitement.

David smiled, but was surprised she didn't say her normal response, 'you didn't have to do that.'

"Your welcome, sweetheart." David said as they started to the station.

"What are we having for dinner tonight?" Emma asked as they were almost there.

"I actually don't know, but we were invited over to Mary - Ms. Blanchard's house for dinner." David said with a sheepish look.

Emma looked at him in shock. "You didn't say yes, did you?"

"I thought it would be nice for both of us to get to know some more people and they seem really nice." David tried to explain. "You like Ella, right?"

Emma grimaced. "I don't know her that well."

"Well this is a way to get to know her better."

"But Ms. Blanchard is my teacher." Emma complained.

David rolled his eyes and smirked. "It will be fine, Emma."

"I don't want to go." Emma whined again, which David found funny because she normally didn't whine or complain or argue with him in fear that he would send her back so this was actually good.

"I'm sorry, but we're going. It won't be bad. I bet you'll even enjoy it."

"I doubt it." Emma muttered as they parked at the station.

"Come on, Emma. Just do it for me, please." David pleaded with a smile.

Emma frowned, "fine, I'll go, but I'm not going to like it."

David chuckled, "that's fine with me."

Emma rolled her eyes before getting out of the truck with her backpack.

"Do you have any homework?" David asked as they got in the station.

"Just a small essay to write."

"About what?"

"Me. I have to introduce myself to the teacher." Emma said, not looking forward to writing it. She didn't have much to say about herself.

"Is that it?" David asked, not wanting to push Emma on that subject since she didn't like taking about herself.

"Yes that's it." Emma told him.

"That's not too bad." David said as they both sat down, David at his desk and Emma at the desk across of him. "Well we have a good hour before we leave so why don't you try to start that essay while I work?"

Emma nodded, but she didn't really want to do it at all.

*****OUAT*****

4:15 pm

"Come on, Ella. We have to hurry to the store." Mary Margaret said as she grabbed her bag.

"Why?" Ella asked as she stuffed her work in her bag.

"Oh I forgot to tell you. I invited Mr. Nolan and Emma over for dinner." Mary Margaret said with a blush.

"What? Mom..." Ella whined.

"What? Don't you like Emma?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders. "She's kind of weird and no one really likes her."

"Ella don't you dare be like that. All of this is new to her and she hasn't had the best life. I think she could be a really good friend if you just gave her a chance." Mary Margaret scolded her.

Ella was shocked. Her mom never was this bold with her or anyone.

"Give her a chance, honey. She deserves that." Mary Margaret said in a softer voice.

Ella nodded. She could try to be nicer, but it was really up to Emma.

*****OUAT*****

6:30 pm

"David, do we really have to do this?"

"Yes." David said as they walked up the stairs to Mary Margaret's loft.

"I can't believe you bought her flowers." Emma said with a smirk.

"Hey, it's the polite thing to do." David said with a little blush.

Emma rolled her eyes. "You better not fall in love with my teacher." Emma joked and David rolled his eyes before knocking.

The door opened a second later.

"Hi David, Emma. Come on in." Mary Margaret.

"These are for you. Thanks for inviting us over, we appreciate it." David said with a charming smile.

Emma rolled her eyes with a little smile at how David was acting.

"It is our pleasure and thank you these are my favorite flowers." Mary Margaret said taking the Snow Drop flowers as she blushed.

It was Ella's turn to roll her eyes at her mom's behavior. Even though, she wouldn't mind if her mom started dating David. She would love that, she just wasn't sure about Emma.

"Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes so Emma if you would like to hang out with Ella for a few minutes we will call you when it's ready."

Emma looked at David who gave her an encouraging nod to go ahead.

Emma followed Ella to the little living room. She hadn't expected their loft to be so small.

"Do you like 7th Heaven?" Ella asked.

"Never heard of it." Emma answered.

"Oh my goodness, you are missing out." Ella said with a kind smile as she found the 1st disc of the 1st season to put in.

Emma smiled. Maybe she would like Ella. "Hey, I'm sorry I snapped at you this morning. It's hard to meet new people and I just get sick of being the new person every where I go."

Ella smiled softly at her. "It's alright. I was being nosy anyway."

Emma smiled shyly before turning her attention to the first episode of Ella's show.

Ten minutes later...

"Girls." David called softly to Emma and Ella as he came into the living room. "Dinner's ready. Go get washed up."

Both of them gave him the same frown and it was then that he realized how similar they looked. Not to mention they were the same height and even though Emma was a bit thinner, they had a similar build to their bodies. It was weird how similar they really were. The only things that were different was their hair color and eye color, but even their hair length and style was the same.

"So do you like my mom?" Ella asked bluntly and Emma looked at her in shock.

David was shocked too, but just smiled kindly at her. "Your mother is a very, nice women. Now go get washed up."

Ella rolled her eyes at the same time Emma did and David smiled. So alike.

They all sat down for dinner which was Emma's favorite spaghetti with meatballs and garlic bread.

"This is amazing, Mary Margaret." David said in awe of her spaghetti.

Emma and Ella exchanged an eye roll that neither parent saw. They both could see that Ella's mom and Emma's foster dad liked each other.

Ella was secretly thrilled that everything was going so well and even though she was the only one that knew, this was their first meal as a family. She wasn't as jealous of Emma anymore...okay maybe a little still, but at least she liked Emma a whole lot better now.

There was just one thing still bothering her, she was not in the book...what if she really wasn't apart of their family? It would break her heart.

"So Emma, how are you liking Storybrooke?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Well it's a little weird..." Emma said bluntly and Ella spit out her drink as she tried not to laugh at Emma's assessment because it was true.

"Ella." Mary Margaret scolded quietly.

"Sorry, it's just that Storybrooke is a bit weird." Ella said with a nervous laugh. She hated getting scolded in front of guests, especially Emma and David.

Emma smiled. "I like it so far though." Emma finished.

"Good, I'm glad." Mary Margaret said with a kind smile. "Maybe Ella can show you around sometime."

"I would like that." Emma said honestly.

David smiled softly at her opening up to Mary Margaret and Ella. He wanted her to have friends and it looked like Ella would be a good friend to her. He actually was quite fond of Ella already and her mother.

After they finished eating, Ella spoke up. "Can we go finish watching the show?" Ella asked her mom.

"Sure go ahead, but go rinse your plate off first." Snow said with a kind smile.

"Okay. Come on, Emma." Ella said as she picked up her plate.

Emma did the same and followed her to the kitchen.

"We can let those two be alone for a little bit." Ella said with a giggle.

"Oh dear." Emma said with her own giggle.

They rinsed their plates before heading back to the living room to finish the episode.

David helped Mary Margaret clean up the table and even washed the dishes before getting the dessert out.

"We can eat in the living room that way the girls can finish their show." Mary Margaret said as she handed two plates of peach cobbler to David. Then she picked up the other two.

David followed Mary Margaret into the living room. The girls were sitting on the couch intently watching their show.

"I'm guessing you girls don't want dessert, right?" Mary Margaret teased.

Ella rolled her eyes, "Mom." Ella whined with a smile as she held her hand out for the plate.

Mary Margaret smiled and handed Ella her plate.

"I hope you like peach cobbler, Emma." Mary Margaret said with a kind smile.

"I've never had it." Emma said.

"Oh you'll love it!" Ella said with excitement.

"Here you go, kiddo." David said with a smile.

"Thanks." Emma said, a little embarrassed by him calling her 'kiddo.' She liked it, but he didn't normally say it in front of others.

David smiled a knowing smile as he sat down beside Emma on the couch as Mary Margaret sat on the chair beside the couch.

They ate their dessert as they watched the rest of the 7th Heaven episode.

7:45 pm

The episode ended and David knew they needed to leave.

"Can we watch one more?" Ella asked her Mom.

"Yes, you may." Mary Margaret said, but she knew their guest would probably leave.

"Can we stay?" Emma asked David.

"I'm sorry, Em, but we have to get home." David said with a sympathetic look.

Emma frowned.

"Maybe you can come over again sometime and we can watch another one." Ella said with a smile.

"I'd like that."

David and Emma grabbed their coats before saying goodbye.

"Thanks again for having us over." David said. "we had a great time."

"It was our pleasure." Mary Margaret answered. "We'll have to do it again sometime."

"That would be great." David said with a kind smile.

Emma and Ella both rolled their eyes at their parents.

"See you at school tomorrow, Emma." Mary Margaret said.

Emma smiled back at her before following her Dad out the door.

"Bye, Emma." Ella said.

"Bye, Ella." Emma said with a smile.

As the door closed, Ella looked at her mom with a smile. "Isn't he charming?" She said with a giggle.

Mary Margaret blushed as she smiled. "Very."

Ella giggled before running off to finish her show. Mary Margaret joined her as well since she didn't have any work to do yet.

*****OUAT*****

David was in daze as they walked to the truck. He couldn't believe how fast he was falling in love with Emma's teacher, but he was.

Emma thought it was funny, but there was a voice in her head that said if he falls in love and marries Ms. Blanchard then she would be sent back to a group home. Ms. Blanchard already had a daughter. They'd be a family and she'd be history.

"Emma, Emma." David called when they got home and Emma was just sitting in her seat in a daze.

"Huh?" Emma said as she heard him.

David smiled. "We're home, Emma."

Emma nodded.

"Are you okay?" David asked in concern.

"Yeah, just tired." Emma answered.

David nodded before getting out of the truck. They walked towards the house together.

"How do you like Mary Margaret and Ella?" David asked as he walked with Emma.

"I like them a lot. They are really nice." Emma told him truthfully.

"Me too." David said with a smile. "Me too."

Emma rolled her eyes and smiled. Of course he did.

David let Emma watch some TV before bed, but at 8:50 he had her shut it off and head to bed.

"Don't forget to brush your teeth. I'll be up in a minute to say goodnight." David called to her as she walked up the stairs.

David made their lunches for tomorrow and straightened up a little before heading upstairs.

He knocked softly on the door before hearing a soft 'come in' from Emma. He opened the door and came inside. Emma looked exhausted from her big day.

He sat down on the edge of bed with a kind smile. "Did you have a good day?"

Emma nodded.

"Good." David said with a smile. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Yeah." Emma said quietly, but David could see the little bit of worry in her eyes.

"Do you want me to read to you for a little bit?" David asked, having just started to read to her the other night to help calm her nerves for school.

"If you want to..." Emma said, still not wanting to be a bother.

"It would be my pleasure." David said as he grabbed the book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, that they had been reading yesterday. "Chapter two..." David started.

David read two chapters before closing the book.

"Can you read one more?" Emma pleaded.

David smiled, "I would love to, but you have to get to sleep, sweet girl."

Emma frowned, but didn't push him.

"Goodnight, kiddo." David said softly as he lightly squeezed her hand. He wanted to do more, but with Emma, he had to go slow. She wasn't much for physical affection. She wasn't use to goodnight kisses and hugs so he kept it simple to ease her towards more affection. He wanted her to know that she was safe and loved. He wouldn't tell her that in fear of her running, which she had done once already, but it was easily solved. But he did love her, almost from the instant second she came into his life. He never wanted her to leave.

 **Please Review!**


	3. Never Good Enough

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'll try to keep adding to my other stories, but don't expect too much, I've been stuck on them for awhile. If you have any ideas for them, review the story or PM me. It might help me have some inspiration for them. Anyway, hope you like this chapter, if I get a some reviews I'll try putting out another chapter either today or tomorrow.

Emma and Ella

Chapter 3: Never Good Enough

Three Weeks Later...

It was the week of conferences and Mary Margaret was meeting with David Nolan about his foster daughter, Emma.

"Good afternoon, David." Mary Margaret said with a smile. For the last three weeks, they had seen quite a bit of each other and the girls. Their families were hitting it off pretty well together. Ella and Emma were almost inseparable now.

"Good afternoon, Mary Margaret. How was your day?" David asked softly.

"It was good, but even better now." She said and David smiled big.

David sat down in chair across from her desk and waited patiently for her to begin.

"Emma is a very smart girl, but from all her moves she has gotten behind in her Reading. She is two grade levels below the other students, meaning she's reading at 4th grade level instead of her grade level."

"Oh I didn't realize she was so far behind." David said in worry.

"She is behind, but I'm confident that Emma, with a little extra work, can get up to her grade level. I would suggest that she read every night for an hour to practice reading. It would also be beneficial if you read to her as well."

"Oh we started that at the beginning of the year, we have been reading the Harry Potter books." David told her with a grin.

"Ah those are great books." Mary Margaret said. "I can give her a few books at her reading level to start with and then I will test her every two weeks to see where she's at. I doubt it will take long for her to jump up levels. She is a very smart girl."

"Indeed she is." David said with a proud smile.

They finished up their meeting while their girls were out in the hallway working on their homework.

Emma was nervous because she always was behind in her classes and now David would know that. She wanted him to be proud of her not disappointed in her. She really liked David and didn't want him to send her back.

"Hey don't be so worried. My mom could only say good things about you."

"I hope so." Emma said in worry.

David came out a few minutes later and told Emma he had to meet with one more of her teachers before they could go home. This was her math teacher and she wasn't very good at math.

"Why don't you stay here with Ella while I meet with your teacher? It shouldn't take too long."

Emma nodded, but was nervous at what he'd hear.

"I just have to know what that teacher is saying..." Emma said as she put her stuff in her bag and stood up.

"What are you going to do?" Ella asked in worry.

"I'm going to try to listen. I'll be back." Emma said as she started towards her math class.

"Emma, what if they catch you?" Ella asked in worry.

"I won't get caught." Emma said as she was half way down the hall.

Ella grimaced. She knew most adults didn't take to well to eavesdropping.

Emma sunk as close to the door as possible, thankfully it was open so she could hear her teacher's and David's voices.

"The fact is that Emma is behind and by a lot. She's going to need a tutor to help her if she is going to pass." Emma heard her math teacher telling her foster dad. She frowned, he wouldn't like hearing that she wasn't good at school, none of her foster families cared about her schooling and didn't like the teachers bugging them.

Emma continued to listen at the door, hoping that David wouldn't be mad at her. She didn't even realize it when it was over and she saw that David was about to leave the room. She would have moved, but she was frozen on the floor in fear of getting caught.

David stepped out and almost ran into his foster daughter. "Emma." David scolded in surprise as he saw his Emma sitting on the floor, looking at him in shock.

"Let's go." David said in a disappointed voice. He was a little worried about her schooling and even a bit frustrated at her not trying in math class. Her teacher had said that Emma hadn't been turning in her math assignments for a week and besides that she wasn't giving it much effort.

Emma grimaced as she stood up and felt David put his hand on her back to lead her back to her stuff so they could leave.

Ella grimaced as she saw Emma coming back with David meaning Emma got caught. David didn't look very happy either.

"Get your stuff. I have to ask Ms. Blanchard something." David said before heading into the classroom.

"How much trouble are you in?" Ella asked with wide eyes.

"I don't know..." Emma said nervously as she grabbed her stuff and got her coat from her locker.

"Well good luck." Ella said with a grimace.

"Thanks." Emma said nervously as she bit her lip.

"It will be okay." Ella tried to encourage her, but she was feeling nervous for her friend.

David came back out. "Let's go, Emma. Say goodbye to Ella." David said firmly.

"Bye Ella." Emma said quietly before feeling David's hand at the base of her neck, guiding her past Ella and to the front doors of the school.

The walk was quiet and tense as they made their way to the truck. Emma could tell she was in trouble by the way David was treating her and not talking to her.

He unlocked her door and she climbed in.

"Seatbelt." David said quietly, but firmly.

Emma buckled up quickly and David shut the door and went around to the other side to get in.

David turned on the truck and started for home.

Emma was not sure what to do, but what she felt like was running! But at the moment she was trapped in the moving truck with David.

It only took a ten minutes, but it felt like an eternity before they were pulling into their driveway. She had figured he would have said something by now, but he was just quiet. He seemed to be thinking about something, probably what to do with her.

They went inside even though Emma wanted to run rather than face David.

"We need to talk. Let's go sit in the living room." David said quietly.

Emma bit her lip as she walked to the living room and sat down on the couch.

David paced for a moment before coming and sitting on the coffee table in front of her.

"Emma, why haven't you been doing your math homework?" David asked.

Emma shrugged her shoulders.

"Is it too hard? Your teacher said that you are behind, but you aren't trying either." David said, just trying to figure out the problem.

"Does it matter?" Emma asked in a bored voice, even though she was nervous. She didn't really understand why he even cared about her grades.

"Of course it matters! I can't help you do better if I don't know what the problem is."

Emma looked down ashamed. "It's just hard, okay?" Emma said on the verge of sarcasm.

"So you just stopped trying? That doesn't sound like you." David said in concern.

"Why do you even care? And you don't know what sounds like me or not! You hardly even know me!" Emma yelled at him.

"Hey there's no need for yelling AND I do care about you. And yes, I may not know much about you yet, but I am getting to know you."

"I guess." Emma mumbled.

"Your teacher mentioned that I should get you a tutor..."

"I don't need a tutor!" Emma yelled.

"Do not yell at me, young lady." David scolded her.

Emma hadn't expected him to scold her that sternly and it shocked her.

"You do need a tutor and I already got one for you. Ms. Blanchard said that she could tutor you in math after school in her room on Tuesdays and Thursday's from 3:45 to 4:45."

"But what about the bus?"

"I will pick you up from school on those days."

"Ugh...this is dumb." Emma muttered.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, but you will go to these tutoring sessions. I want you to give them your best effort and I don't want to hear that you are giving Ms. Blanchard attitude either. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Emma mumbled.

"Good. Now there's another issue that we have to talk about. Your reading level isn't up to where it needs to be so Ms. Blanchard suggested that you read an hour every night to help get your reading level up. She'll get you books at your level and test you every couple of weeks."

"An hour?" Emma said with a frown.

"Yes. And you will do it."

Emma grunted. She wasn't happy with all these things he wanted her to do. She never had anyone that cared this much about her schooling. It wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

"One last thing we need to talk about and then you can go finish your homework. I don't appreciate you eavesdropping on your teacher and me. And I won't have you doing it again."

Emma grimaced. "Sorry." Emma said with a little attitude.

"Just don't do it again, got it?" David said firmly.

"Okay. Is that it?" Emma asked with attitude again.

"Almost. For the rest of this week and next week, you will be grounded" Emma eyes widened in surprise, "so that means no tv, no phone, no friends."

"Why?" Emma whined.

"For your attitude, your eavesdropping, but mostly because of not doing your math homework for a week. If you are really working hard at improving your grades by the end of next week then it can return back to normal besides that you will still be reading and going to tutoring. Emma, I just need you to take this seriously. I know you can get your grades up, but it's going to take some effort on your part. And it's up to me to make sure you succeed in school."

Emma rolled her eyes. Grounded?! This was terrible!

David knew she wasn't happy with him, but he was just trying to do what was best for her.

"Are we done yet?" Emma asked with attitude.

"Yes, but change your attitude please." David said firmly with his dad look he had learned quickly since she got there a month ago.

Emma looked away as he scolded her, but nodded anyway.

"Ok, go finish up your homework." David said softly, hoping that she really understood that he cared about her and wanted what was best.

Emma got up and went upstairs. She threw her backpack down and slammed her door shut.

Emma knew she couldn't do what he asked. She would just disappoint him. And why did he care about her?! No one else did and she didn't know how to handle someone actually caring! She wasn't good at being part of a real family and this was the closest foster home that felt like a family despite not having a foster mom. David though was great despite that she just got grounded.

She was just knew, deep down in her heart that she would never be good enough for him. He would send her back. She knew it.

All of sudden, she couldn't handle it anymore. She needed to get out!

She opened the window and climbed onto the roof below her window before climbing down the trellis on the side of the house. She jumped down and ran as fast as she could.


	4. More than Enough

A/N: Here is a new chapter since I am procrastinating doing work for the coming week! Hope you like it! It is mostly David and Emma, but next chapter we will see more of Mary Margaret and Ella!

Emma and Ella

Chapter 4: More than Enough

6:00 pm

David had given Emma time to calm down and hoped that she would be in a better mood now.

"Emma, dinner's ready. Please wash up and come down." David called up the stairs before heading back to the kitchen.

David finished putting the food on the table before realizing that Emma wasn't coming. He sighed wishing she would have just come down without a fight.

He walked quietly upstairs and knocked lightly on Emma's door. "Emma. It's dinner time."

David waited for a response or her to come out, but when he heard nothing he knocked again before opening the door. "Emma..."

He stopped short when he realized the room was empty and the window was opened. "No." David said as he realized that she ran. He was overcome with fear at the realization that he had no idea where she was. He saw that her backpack was still on the floor where she dropped it and knew she must have freaked out and ran.

David found his cell phone in his pocket as he called Graham at the station as he ran out of Emma's room to go find her. He told Graham, Emma had run away and Graham told him he would start looking for her. Next, he called Mary Margaret to check to see if Emma had ran to her loft or to see if Ella had heard from her at all. Mary Margaret hadn't seen her, but said she would look out for her and call around to see if any one had seen her.

David started out to the truck with a flashlight before deciding to see if there were any tracks to lead to Emma. That's when he saw that there were tracks and they went through the backyard towards the woods. He began to follow them as fast as he dared.

Meanwhile, Emma found herself lost in the woods.

"Ugh why did I run to the woods?! I know nothing about the woods!" Emma exclaimed as she felt like she was passing the same tree again.

Emma groaned as she felt little drops of rain fall on her head. "No." Emma whined as the rain started to get harder and harder.

This wasn't good. She was lost in the woods and now it was raining, not to mention that it was dark now and that no one would even look for her. No one had ever done it before when she ran besides the foster system, they always managed to find her.

She started to cry again as she realized she just ruined the best home she had been in because she got overwhelmed and ran. How could she be so stupid?! David actually cared for her and what did she do? Complain and run away! Why did she have to be this way?

For the last five weeks, she felt like she could have finally found a good foster home and she started to hope that it would last. But she ruined it and now, she would be sent back and she would never see Ella or Mary Margaret, or David again.

Emma cried harder as she realized how much she liked David and wished for once that he could be her real Dad. For once, she didn't want to leave, but would be forced to leave.

'Oh stop kidding yourself! You would have been kicked out anyway! No one wants you and David would have realized that soon anyway. He already found out about how you suck in school and always tend to find trouble. You aren't family material. You are an orphan, an orphan that won't ever matter and you know it.' Emma told herself as she continued to cry.

She didn't realize it until she was falling that there was a fallen log. She groaned, but thankfully she didn't break anything with her fall.

She didn't get up though, she just sat up and leaned against the log. She had to figure out how to get out of the woods because no one would find her and save her. She learned long ago that no one was going to save her but herself. No one would help her besides herself. No one would protect her besides herself. She was alone in this world and she could only count on herself.

She got up slowly and started walking again, but she couldn't stop crying. Knowing she would never see David again, was killing her.

7:45 pm

David had been walking and walking as he called Emma's name hoping she would hear him and call out to him. He was frightened for her since she didn't have a jacket and it was raining and cold. She could have hurt herself walking around in the dark or get sick from the cold or get hurt by a wild animal.

"Emma!" David called again, hoping she would hear him through the rain. "Emma!"

He finally came to a fallen tree and saw Emma sitting against. "Emma! Are you alright? I was worried sick!"

Emma jumped at his voice having not heard him coming and didn't think he'd come for her. "You...found me." Emma said in surprise and shock.

"Of course, sweetheart." David said sincerely. "I will always find you."

Emma started to cry again before throwing herself on him and hugging him tightly.

David was surprised, but hugged her back.

"I'm so sorry! Don't send me back! Please don't send me back!" Emma cried.

"Oh Emma, I'm not sending you back. I love having you with me!" David told her sincerely.

"Really?"

"Of course, but you can't run away like this."

"I won't! I promise! I'm so sorry!"

David smiled sadly at her thinking that he'd send her back. "Now are you hurt at all?" David asked after a few moments, knowing that he needed to get her home and out of the rain.

"I'm okay, just cold." Emma said not wanting to be a bother to him.

"Emma, I need to know the truth. Don't lie to me." David said sternly.

"I may have hurt my wrist the last time I fell, but I'm sure it's okay. Really." Emma said not wanting to lie to him again.

"Let me see, sweetie." David said softly and she held out her left hand for him to see that it was already swollen. "This may hurt a little, but I'm just seeing if it's broke."

David touched it as gently as he could, but wasn't quite sure if it was broken. He would have to take her to the hospital to check for sure. "Alright. Anything else hurt?"

"No, Da- David." Emma said, almost saying Dad, but stopped herself.

David wasn't sure if she had or hadn't almost called him Dad. He wouldn't of cared, actually he would have loved it, but he knew that she probably wasn't quite ready for that yet. But maybe someday she would be.

"Okay, let's get going again." David said as he helped her up. It was then that David realized she was shivering. "Here, sweetie." David said as he took his coat off and put it around her shoulders.

"David you don't need to..."

"Hush, I do and I will. I'm the parent remember? You're the kid so let me be the parent, okay?"

"But foster parents aren't normally as nice as you." Emma said in confusion.

"Well they should be nice." David said with a shake of his head. He knew of some of the homes Emma had been in from her social worker and he hated to think of some of the people she had to deal with.

Emma shrugged her shoulders. "Most of them were just in it for the pay check. I was just a nuisance to them. I got used to it and figured out how to take care of myself." Emma told him matter-o-factly.

"I'm sorry you had to go through so many bad homes and that you had to take care of yourself, but here with me, you don't. Let me be the parent and take care of you. I want to."

"I'll try, but I'm used to taking care of myself." Emma said softly.

"I know, but I want you to enjoy your childhood."

"But how am I supposed to enjoy it if you ground me?" Emma asked with a confused frown.

David chuckled. "Oh Emma, I'm only grounding you because I want what is best for you. I want you to get a good education and learn right from wrong. I want you to grow up to be a responsible, caring adult. If I didn't care, I wouldn't ground you or make you work harder at your studies, but I do, so I will push you to do better. Do you understand?"

"Yes...and thank you, David. I'm just not used to anyone caring."

"I know, but I do and truly want to raise you the best I can."

Emma smiled softly. "So you aren't sending me back?"

"No, I'm not." David said seriously.

Emma smiled widely. How'd she get so lucky to get a foster parent like David?

They walked for a good while before Emma got up the courage to ask another question. "Um David?"

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"Um am I going to get in trouble for running off?" Emma asked as she bit her lip.

"Oh yea." David said as Emma grimaced, but inwardly smiled because that meant he cared enough to punish her. "I'm going to add another week to your grounding. It's dangerous to run off. I've told you before that I need to know where you are and who you are with so that I can keep you safe. You scared me to death tonight when you weren't in your room and I realized you climbed out your window. Which I better not ever see you do again, young lady. You could have gotten seriously hurt!"

Emma grimaced, she didn't like getting scolded very much. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

"I know, but you weren't really thinking about me were you?" David said knowingly.

"No, I guess not. I was just overwhelmed and worried you would send me away because I wouldn't meet your standards." Emma said as she looked down in shame.

David stopped and lifted Emma's chin to look at him. "Hey, all I expect from you is to try and try your best. I know that moving around so much and not having good parents put you at a disadvantage, but I know you can improve with some work. You are very smart and are capable of doing anything you set your mind to."

Emma blinked back tears. "You think?"

"I know." David said softly with a smile. "Now come on, sweetheart, we need to get home."

Emma nodded with a teary smile.

15 minutes later, David looked over to see that Emma was dragging her feet as she walked beside him. She was also shivering despite having his coat on her. Not to mention that she seemed to be in a lot of pain from her wrist, but she was trying to hide it.

He stopped her and carefully picked her up.

"David!" Emma said in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"Carrying you. I know you are tired, cold and in pain, but we will be back soon." David said as he began walking again. They were about ten minutes away.

Emma bit her lip as felt touched by his gesture. No one had ever done that for her when she was tired. She couldn't believe it.

*****OUAT*****

David rushed Emma inside and up to her room to get her out of her wet clothes. She had fallen asleep as he carried her.

"Emma, wake up. We made it home, but you need to change into some dry clothes." David said as he set her on her chair in her room.

"Kay." Emma mumbled tiredly.

David smiled as he went to grab some sweats and a t-shirt from her drawers.

"Here you go. Do you think you can change on your own?" David asked.

Emma nodded as her eyes widened.

David smiled. "I'll be right outside. When you are changed, just let me know."

Emma nodded again before he left.

*****OUAT*****

David came back into the room and grabbed a sweater for Emma to put on to keep her warm. It was a zip-up one so it was easy to slide over her wrist.

Once the sweater was on her and zipped, he had to tell her that he would be taking her to the hospital to get her arm checked.

"Ok, Emma. Now we have to go get your wrist checked out." David said softly.

Emma eyes widened in fear. "It's fine, really David."

"I'm afraid it's not fine and we do need to go." David told her.

Emma frowned, but knew David wouldn't change his mind. "Okay."

David gave her a sympathetic smile before helping her up and downstairs. He had her sit on the bench in the hallway as he ran to the fridge for something to use to ice Emma's wrist. He could only find a bag of peas and bag of corn so he grabbed the peas and a towel to wrap them in before running back to Emma.

"Hold this to your wrist. I know it's cold, but it will help with the swelling."

Emma nodded, trying to be brave for her Dad...David. She kept thinking of him as Dad, but she couldn't say that yet.

"Good girl." David said before picking her up into his arms.

*****OUAT*****

8:45 pm

David finally got Emma to the hospital and to the ER. On their way, he had called both Graham and Mary Margaret to let them know that he had found Emma in the woods.

Now David was waiting with Emma in a ER exam room with Emma sitting on the exam table nervously.

"Everything will be fine, Em." David told her softly.

Emma nodded, trying to show that she was fine even though he could see through her trying to be brave. He may have broken down one of her walls, but that didn't mean he had gotten them all. There was still a long ways to go, but tonight was a good start for them.

A few minutes later, the doctor came into the exam room. "Ah, David, it's good to see you again." Doctor Whale said as he recognized his coma patient.

"Good evening, Dr. Whale, this is my foster daughter, Emma."

"Well it is nice to meet you Emma." Whale said kindly.

Emma smiled shyly.

"So I hear that you messed up your wrist?" Dr. Whale said as he gently picked Emma's wrist up.

Emma nodded as she winced.

"Yes she fell over a fallen tree and hurt her wrist." David informed him.

"Well we will have to get her wrist x-rayed." Whale said as he looked Emma over for any other injuries from her fall.

"She was also out in the rain for a long time because she got lost in the woods." David said.

"She may get a little cold from the experience, but that should be it. It looks like she only injured her wrist. We will get her wrist x-rayed and then go from there." Whale said as he set Emma's wrist back down before looking back at David. "How are you doing, David? Have you had any side effects?" Whale asked since he was there.

"No not for months." David said as Emma gave him a questioning look.

"Good, good. If you ever do, please come see me." Whale said.

David nodded and Whale left the room.

"What was he talking about?" Emma asked with a confused look.

"About three years ago I got in a car accident and went into a coma, I woke up from it a little over a year ago, but it's nothing to worry about." David told her. (Not knowing he had been in the coma a whole lot longer!)

Emma looked at him in shock, not knowing what to say.

The door opened and a nurse came in to take Emma to get her wrist x-rayed.

Emma froze when the nurse came in.

"It will be okay, Emma. They just need to see if it's broken." David said as he squeezed her good hand.

Emma nodded trying to be brave.

"I'll be waiting right here for you." David told her, knowing she needed to hear it.

"You won't leave?"

"No I won't."

"Ok." Emma said in a quiet voice, full of fear.

David rubbed her back once before helping her off the exam table. He wished he could just go with her, but he knew he needed to just be there when she got back.

"See you soon, sweetheart."

Emma nodded at him sadly before leaving with the nurse.

*****OUAT*****

It didn't take long before Emma was back and the doctor came in to let them know she hadn't broken it, but she did sprain it. They then wrapped her wrist and put a splint on it to keep it still for the next three days. After that, Emma could just wear the ace bandage for a the next 2 to 3 weeks.

"So I'll need to see her in two weeks to check her wrist and make sure it's healing. At the time, I will let you know if it needs to stay in the bandage or not." Whale told them after they were set to go.

"And Emma the more you rest it the faster it will heal. If you are using it, it won't heal." Dr. Whale added.

"She can ice it for the next few days to help with the pain. Also you can give her some children's Tylenol for pain as well." Dr. Whale told David.

"So will she need any physical therapy for her wrist?" David asked.

"When you bring her back in two weeks, I will set her up with a physical therapist to give her some stretches to do and check on her progress."

"Ok, that sounds good." David said.

"Well I think you're set to go. The nurse will come in with the discharge papers."

"Thank you." David said sincerely.

*****OUAT*****

10:30 pm

David pulled into their driveway and looked over to see that Emma had fallen asleep. "We're home, Emma." David said as he shook her shoulder gently.

Emma woke up and David got her inside and into bed.

"But David, I haven't finished my homework." Emma said in panic.

"I'm not sending you to school tomorrow, I'm afraid your wrist will be hurting and you won't be comfortable at school." David told her, thinking it would be best to let her stay home.

"Oh okay." Emma said with a frown.

"Did you want to go to school tomorrow?" David asked in confusion.

"I want to see Ella and if I don't go, I won't see her till Monday." Emma said truthfully.

"Because you're grounded." David said in realization. "We will see how you feel in the morning, okay?"

Emma nodded, happy that he was at least considering it.

"Sleep well, if you need me during the night just call for me. Goodnight, sweetheart." David said softly.

"Goodnight, David." Emma said before falling asleep quickly.

In the morning, Emma was able to convince her Dad to let her go to school. She was to see the nurse if she needed to ice her wrist or take tylenol. He even spoke with Mary Margaret to let her know about Emma's wrist so that she could check in with Emma and let him know how she was doing.

*****OUAT*****

"If your wrist is bothering you, please ask your teacher to go to the nurse. I don't want you to be hurting during class." David said for the fifth time that morning.

"David, I'll be fine." Emma whined as she rolled her eyes.

"I know. I'm just worried about you, kiddo." David said with a concerned look.

"I know, but I'll be fine." Emma said with a small smile at how worried her foster Dad was about her. She had way worse injuries in her lifetime. This was nothing compared to them.

"Ok. I'll stop. Have a good day, sweetie." David said as he leaned over without even thinking about it and kissed Emma's head.

Emma froze for a second trying to figure out how to react to the new development in their relationship.

David realized what he did and the stunned look on Emma's face. "You okay?" David asked slowly with a small smile.

"Yeah." Emma said slowly and took a nervous breath before making a decision. "Yeah, I am fine. See you later, Dad." Emma added before jumping out of the truck and closing the door.

It was David's turned to be stunned. She just called him, Dad, and it seemed like she did it on purpose. He smiled pleased and overjoyed. He loved his little girl and he probably always would.

 **I might be putting up another chapter today, but we shall see! Love to hear your thoughts! Oh and Mary Margaret and Ella will be in the next chapter!**


	5. Running and Tardies

**A/N: Here is another chapter! Sorry it wasn't as soon as I thought, but I thought I give you a chapter for the week! Thanks for all the encouraging reviews and suggestions! I love hearing from you! It gives me more motivation to keep writing this story! Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 5: Running and Tardies**

"Emma! Emma!" Ella called from her locker on the other side of the hall. She shut it and ran over to Emma.

"No running, Miss Ella." Mr. Jones said as he was walking down the hall, monitoring students as they came in for the morning.

"Sorry." Ella responded as she slowed to walk. "Emma, are you okay?"

"What?" Emma asked in a daze for what she just said to her Dad and how he kissed her forehead. She was wondering if this home was really going to be her home for good. It was a weird feeling to have considering she hadn't had many good foster homes.

"Mom told me you got lost in the woods and then that you hurt your wrist!" Ella said looking very worried about her best friend (and sister).

"Yeah, but I'm fine." Emma said with a smile.

"My mom was freaking out when she heard that your Dad couldn't find you. She then started to freak out on me, thinking that I knew where you were." Ella said as she shook her head.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that everyone would worry about me." Emma said as she bit her lip to stop from smiling. It was a bit funny that Ella almost got in trouble.

"It isn't funny. She almost grounded me because she thought I was lying to her." Ella said half-serious, half-kidding.

Emma chuckled.

*****OUAT*****

The bell rang surprising both of the girls who had lost track of time. They had decided to go to the bathroom before heading to their first class with Ella's mom. They hadn't realized that it was getting close to when school would start until the bell rang.

"Oh no. My mom is going to kill us for being late." Ella said as she grabbed her books from the counter.

"I didn't realize it was already that time!" Emma said as she grabbed her books too and they started out of the bathroom.

They both ran down the hall to get to the room.

"Ella. Emma." Mr. Jones said sternly from behind them.

Ella and Emma stopped suddenly and looked behind them.

"No running in the halls." Mr. Jones said sternly as he looked at the girls, then looked at Ella. "That's the second time I have told you, Ella, to not run."

"I know, but we were late…" Ella whined.

"That's no excuse. If I see you running again, I will have to give you a consequence." Mr. Jones interrupted her.

Ella blushed in embarrassment for getting in trouble. The consequence would be after school detention and her mom would then ground her. She didn't want that especially for something as dumb as running in the hall.

"Get to class, both of you." Mr. Jones said firmly.

Emma and Ella quickly turned around and walked to Ms. Blanchard's room.

"You're late." Mary Margaret said as her daughter and Emma came into her room.

"Sorry." Emma and Ella both said at the same time.

"Sit down and start the bellwork." Mary Margaret said in a softer voice. She still had to mark both girls tardy since they were late to class. If they got three tardies, they'd end up getting after-school detention. Since this was both of their first tardies, as far as she knew, they would just get a warning.

*****OUAT*****

Emma sneezed and Mary Margaret grabbed a few tissues to take to her. "Are you feeling okay, sweetie?" Snow asked in concern as she felt her forehead.

Emma pulled away a little with a blush at her teacher, and possibly, father's girlfriend, checking her temperature in class. It was just embarrassing. "I'm fine." Emma said as he took the tissues. "It's probably just a cold."

"Okay. If you need anything, you can come to me." Mary Margaret said, not worrying about the embarrassed look on Emma's face.

"I will. Thanks." Emma said, but then grimaced. "You aren't keeping David updated are you?" Emma asked.

Mary Margaret just smiled and walked away.

Emma rolled her eyes.

"You can't stop her when she is worried about you. Believe me, I know." Ella said, but there was a knot in her stomach that kept growing and growing as she saw Emma get closer and closer to both her mom and David. She was close to her mom, but not David. At least not the way it seemed that Emma was warming up to her mom. Emma got to spend more time with her mom than she got to spend with their dad, David.

"Earth to Ella." Emma said with a chuckle as she tried to get Ella's attention. Ella turned to her quickly.

"What?" Ella said, a bit out of it.

"Geez, you were out of it. I asked if you got all your homework done." Emma said with a smile.

"Yeah. Mom never lets me get out of doing it." Ella said.

"I didn't get it done. In fact, I didn't get anything done." Emma said with a frown. She was suddenly regretting going to school when she could have had an out today.

"If you don't tell my mom, I'll let you copy mine." Ella said quietly, and unsure, but she felt bad for her friend.

"You would do that?" Emma asked stunned.

"Yeah, you're my best friend." Ella said with a smile. "Here. Math and Social Studies."

"Thanks."

"That's enough talking, girls. Get to work." Snow said firmly from her desk and Ella and Emma looked at each other with sheepish grins.

*****OUAT*****

 _After lunch, 6_ _th_ _period_

"Not again!" Ella said as he ran from her locker to her next class. Emma had went ahead of her.

"Miss Ella, what did I say about running?" Mr. Jones said.

Ella skidded to a stop with a panicked look. "Uh…not to run."

"And?" Mr. Jones prompted.

"That you would go easy on me because I don't normally get in trouble." Ella said hopeful.

Mr. Jones raised his eyebrows. "No, I said that you would get a consequence. I'll see you at detention after-school."

Ella frowned. She has had detention before, but not many times and whenever she did, she got in trouble with her mom for getting in trouble at school.

"Get to class." Mr. Jones said and Ella frowned as she headed to class, walking this time.

Ella grimaced this was the second time in one day that she was going to be late to class, at least it wasn't her mom's class this time. It was, however, math class and he didn't like students coming in late.

She snuck in the back, hoping he wouldn't notice she was late.

"You're late, Miss Blanchard." Mr. Mac said with a stern look.

"Sorry." Ella responded as she slid into her seat that was next to Emma.

"Sorry isn't going to erase the tardy on your attendance record." Mr. Mac said unimpressed.

Ella glanced at Emma with a sheepish look and she just gave her a reassuring smile.

"I got detention from Mr. Jones for running in the hall again." Ella whispered to Emma.

Emma grimaced. "Oh that sucks."

"Yeah and its Friday so I have to start my weekend with detention." Ella whined.

"Sorry." Emma said with a frown.

"It's alright. Mom won't be happy with me though." Ella whined.

"Miss Blanchard, do I need to go ahead and call your mother or are you going to start working?" Mr. Mac said with a stern look.

Ella shook her head no as she blushed in embarrassment. She then looked over at Emma with a frown. She wasn't having a good day and it would just get worse the way things were going.

*****OUAT*****

Last period….

Emma was feeling terrible as she walked in to Ms. Blanchard's class. Her wrist was hurting, her head was hurting, and she couldn't stop sneezing and coughing.

Mary Margaret saw Emma walk in and knew that the girl was not feeling good. She shot David a text to let him know that it looked like his daughter had come down with a cold.

"Emma, are you feeling okay?" Mary Margaret asked as she came over to Emma.

"Yeah, yeah." Emma said before coughing again.

"Well, just another 45 minutes and you will be going home." Mary Margaret said with sympathetic look.

Emma nodded and Mary Margaret headed up to her desk.

The bell rang and Emma looked around to see that Ella wasn't in the room yet. She grimaced. That meant Ella would be getting another detention for her being late three times.

Ella came in a minute later.

"Ella. You're late again." Snow said with stern look.

"I'm sorry, I just lost track of time." Ella started to explain.

"That's not a good enough excuse, Ella." Snow said with a disappointed look. "Sit down and get started."

Ella frowned, but did what she was told.

*****OUAT*****

30 minutes later…

An aid from the office came and gave Mary Margaret the detention slips and notes from the office for her class. She always had a couple for her class. She started to look through them and when she saw Ella had two detention slips, she frowned. One for being tardy three times and the other for running in the hall. She sighed. "Ella, Peter, Thomas, and Sandy. Please come here."

Ella bit her lip, she knew what it was about, her detentions. She got up and went to her mom's desk.

She was handing out the detention slips to the other students and saved hers for last.

Ella bit her lip as Mary Margaret gave her the two detentions with a disappointed look. "We will talk about these later." She said quietly so only her daughter would hear her.

Ella nodded before heading back to her seat.

10 minutes later the bell rang and all the kids started to pack up their things to leave.

"Emma." Mary Margaret said as she made her way over to Emma and Ella. "Your dad is running a little late so he wants you to stay in my room till he gets here. Why don't you go pack up and then come back in?"

Ella was quickly packing her things so that she could go to her locker and avoid her mom.

"And Ella, you can go pack up and come back in here before going to your detention. We need to talk." Mary Margaret said sternly.

"But Mom…" Ella whined.

Mary Margaret just gave her daughter a stern look and Ella stopped arguing.

Emma and Ella went out to their lockers to get their things ready.

"I'm sorry you are in trouble." Emma said with a sympathetic look. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm in trouble too. I'm grounded for over two weeks and have tutoring with your mom on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

"Well I know I'll be grounded for a little while for getting two detentions, but it sucks because its for something as dumb as running in the hall and then being late." Ella said with a sigh.

"I know." Emma said sympathetically. "I only came today to see you. I knew I was going to be stuck at home all weekend so I asked to come to school. Isn't that sad?"

"Yes, it is, but I totally understand. I'm actually looking forward to Monday just for some freedom." Ella said with a sigh.

"We better get back to your mom's classroom." Emma said.

"Yeah, I have to report to detention in 10 minutes." Ella said with a frown as she shut her locker.

They walked back to Mary Margaret's room and walked in. She was talking to another teacher so they both sat down in their normal seats.

When the teacher left a few minutes later, Mary Margaret turned her attention to them. "How are you feeling, Emma?"

Emma smiled. "I'm fine."

Mary Margaret smiled sympathetically before turning to Ella. "Ella, come here."

Ella slowly got up and walked up to her Mom. "How did you manage to get two detentions in one day?"

"I didn't mean to." Ella whined.

"That's not a good excuse, young lady, and you know it. You know how to be on time and you know not to run in the halls." Mary Margaret said as David came into the room.

"I know, but…." Ella started to argue, but was cut off.

"And Mr. Mac and Mrs. Stevenson said you didn't turn your homework in which I know you did."

"I lost them, that's why I was late to Mr. Mac's class I was trying to find them." Ella fibbed a little.

"How do you lose them when they were in your folder?"

Ella froze. She wasn't going to squeal on Emma and get her in trouble. "I don't know." She whined instead. That's when she heard her familiar voice behind them. She glanced to see that David had come and she blushed realizing he had probably heard most of their conversation. Now she was mad her mom for scolding her while he was in the room.

"You don't know?" Mary Margaret asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, I don't know! Now can I go before I am late?!" Ella yelled sarcastically, she was angry at her mom.

David looked over at the pair with concern. He had never seen Ella act so disrespectful to her mom.

"Ella, you do not speak to me that way." Mary Margaret scolded her sternly.

Ella rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"We WILL me talking about this later. Now, go on to detention and come back here straight after." Mary Margaret said in quiet, yet stern voice.

"Whatever." Ella said dismissively as she turned to leave, but then saw David watching her with a disapproving look.

David didn't know where it came from, but he found himself cutting Ella off. "Your mother doesn't deserve to be talked to that way. Why don't you apologize?" He found himself saying in a firm voice.

Ella really got mad then. He had no right to tell her what to do! "NO!" Ella yelled before running out of the room.

"I am so sorry. She normally doesn't act this way." Mary Margaret said in a shocked voice.

"That's alright." David said with a sympathetic smile. "I probably shouldn't have interfered."

"Oh that's alright. It was kind of nice to have someone else to back me up. Parenting alone can be lonely." Mary Margaret said.

"I know what you mean." David said as he looked back at Emma who was looking sadly at the door where her friend just ran. "Thanks for looking out for Emma today. It was nice hearing how she was doing throughout the day."

"Oh your welcome. I didn't mind helping." Mary Margaret said with kind smile.

"Hey we haven't had a dinner in a while would you and Ella like to join us for dinner sometime this weekend at our place?" David asked hopefully.

"Well, I would love to, but I'm going to ground Ella and her getting to see Emma would be against the grounding rules." Mary Margaret said, but David could see she was conflicted.

"I know, Emma is grounded too, but that doesn't mean we are grounded." David said with a smirk.

"I know, but…" Mary Margaret said as she bit her lip.

"No buts, please." David pleaded with a charming smile.

"Okay, how about Saturday?" Mary Margaret said with a smile.

"That sounds great!" David responded. "Maybe we can make the girls do the dishes as a punishment while we watch some TV."

"That sounds like a good idea." Mary Margaret said with a chuckle.

David smiled. "See you then."

David and Emma left the room and headed down the hall, but as they were on their way out they saw Ella leaving the building.

As they got outside, David saw Ella sitting on the curb. He handed Emma the keys. "Go get in the truck. I'll be there in a minute."

"Dad…" Emma said, not thinking once again. She just didn't think he should interfere with Ella and possibly get her in more trouble.

"Now, Emma." David said firmly.

Emma did what she was told and took the keys and got in the truck.

David walked over to where Ella who was sitting on the curb and sat down next to her. "What are you doing, Ella?" David asked softly.

Ella rolled her eyes. Why did he even care about her? She was already embarrassed that she was scolded in front of him and that he reprimanded her for the way she talked to her mother. That's not what she wanted from him. "Nothing."

"Shouldn't you be in detention right now?" David asked quietly. He was actually surprised by Ella's behavior and attitude. She usually was a lot more respectful.

"I'm already late." Ella responded quietly, feeling both guilty and embarrassed.

"Don't you think you should go anyway?" David asked gently.

"I don't want to." Ella said with a pout as she crossed her arms. She was already late and she decided she wasn't going to go when she ran out of her mom's room.

"I don't think it is an option." David said with a sympathetic, but firm look.

"Well I'm not going." Ella said stubbornly.

"Ella." David said firmly.

"I don't have to listen to you." Ella responded with attitude.

"No, you don't, but I also can't leave you here alone." David said softly. "You either need to go back inside with me or else I am calling your mother."

Ella heard the serious tone in his voice and knew that he would do that if she didn't go in, but she couldn't just go in. She then had another idea.

"If you do, I'll just run away." Ella replied with attitude.

David raised his eyebrows. "You know that I am the sheriff now, right?"

"Yeah." Ella said a bit nervous, but she also didn't know what he was trying to say.

"Then you should know that I will stop you because your mother would end up calling me to find you and it would just be easier to stop you now rather than find you later." David said with a smirk.

"Fine. I'll go in." Ella whined before standing up.

David stood up too, but as he did Ella tried to make a run for it. He quickly grabbed her arm though and turned her to him. "I told you." David said with a disappointed look. "Come on, let's go."

Ella looked up at him in confusion as he still hadn't let go of her arm. "What? I'm not going anywhere!" Ella argued.

"Yes, you are. You are going to detention and I am going to walk you there." David said before he pulled her along, but not roughly.

"No! I'm not going!" Ella replied as she started to pull away from David.

"Either that or I am taking you to your mother." David said just as firmly and didn't loosen his grip on her arm.

"Fine, I'll go to detention, but I can go on my own." Ella said.

"I don't trust you to get there on your own." David said with a frown.

Ella frowned as they got to the door and David opened it. He still hadn't let go of her arm. He probably figured she would run again.

David walked Ella all the way to where Mr. Jones was holding detention. When they got right outside of the door, David stopped and looked down at Ella. "No more running away, okay?"

Ella nodded reluctantly. "Are you going to tell my mom about this?" Ella asked nervously.

"I can't keep something like this from her." David said sympathetically.

Ella looked down with a frown.

"I'm sorry kiddo, but its part of the parent code." David said with a smile, at his little joke.

Ella rolled her eyes.

"Go on in and be a good girl." David said as he let got of Ella's arm.

Ella blushed a little at him telling her to be good, but went into detention.

"You're late, Miss Ella." David heard a man saying before the door closed. David chuckled softly before heading back outside to where Emma was waiting for him in the truck.

 **Hope you liked the interactions between Mary Margaret and Emma as well as David and Ella. :) Loved to hear your thoughts, please review!**


	6. Restless

_**A/N: I am so excited for tonight's episode! Here is a chapter to tide you over until it comes on! Hope you enjoy it!**_

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 6: Restless**

David called Mary Margaret as he walked out from the room where he dropped Ella off at to where Emma was waiting for him in the truck. He told Mary Margaret about finding Ella and her trying to run away. He also told her how he walked her to detention.

" _I'm sorry you had to deal with her. I don't know what has gotten into her today." Mary Margaret said with a sigh._

"It was no problem. I just wasn't going to let her run off like Emma did." David said, thinking of what Emma had done the day before.

" _Yeah, thanks for that." Mary Margaret said gratefully_.

"Has she ever run off like that before?" David asked.

" _Unfortunately yes, normally when she gets mad at me."_

"Emma has a few times, but she was used to foster parents that didn't care where she was." David said.

" _Yeah, that's understandable. Ella doesn't really have an excuse besides she is mad and stubborn. Well thank you for letting me know. I'll go get her from detention so that she doesn't have a chance to run again. Thanks for everything, and David, sorry she was rude to you."_

"It was really no problem. I was glad to be able to help." David answered with a smile.

David went home with Emma and decided it be best to get her in bed, however, Emma didn't like that idea at all.

"Can't I just lay on the couch?" Emma asked with puppy dog eyes.

"I would prefer it if you were in bed resting. Being at school took a toll on your body, Em. You need rest." David said, worried for his daughter who was obviously sick with a cold.

"Just for a little while, Dad." Emma asked continuing her puppy dog look with using the word Dad.

David shook his head. Those eyes with her calling him Dad was just too much for him to ignore. "Oh alright, but after dinner you are going to bed. Got it?"

"Yes! Thank you! Thank you!" Emma said in excitement as she rushed over to him and hugged him, surprising both of them.

David smiled and hugged her back. "You're welcome, sweetie."

*****OUAT*****

Saturday 5pm

Ella was nervous about going to David and Emma's house. She was so embarrassed for how she acted around David and that he knew she had gotten detentions and gotten in trouble with her mom was even more embarrassing to her. Plus she wasn't thrilled that he told her mom everything and got her in more trouble. Worst of all, she still believed that David was her Dad too or at least she hoped he was her Dad and that's not how she wanted to spend time with him. Plus she figured he thought she was terrible now. Her mom was even making her apologize to him as well. She wished she was anywhere, but where she was as they walked up to the Nolan residence.

"Please don't make me apologize, mom." Ella pleaded one last time.

"Ella, you were very rude to Mr. Nolan and I will not tolerate that behavior. So you will apologize to him." Mary Margaret told her firmly before knocking on the door.

Ella frowned in disappointment and dread for what she had to do.

The door opened to reveal David with a smile on his face. "Hi Mary Margaret, Hi Ella. Come on in. I hope you are both hungry because Emma and I have been slaving away in the kitchen!" David told them as he ushered them into the house.

"Hi David. Yes, we are starving, but first Ella has something she'd like to say to you." Mary Margaret said as she gently nudged Ella forward.

Ella looked down at her feet in embarrassment as David looked at her with a curious look. It dawned on him shortly after that she was meant to apologize.

"I'm sorry I was rude to you on Friday." Ella mumbled as she looked up briefly at David before returning her gaze to the ground.

David smiled softly before stepping up and lifting Ella's chin so that she would look at him. "Thank you for apologizing and you are forgiven." David told her kindly. "Now why don't you go say hi to Emma?"

Ella smiled in excitement at both him forgiving her and for getting it over with so she could enjoy her night with Emma.

"She's in the kitchen setting the table, you can help her." David added with a smile.

"Ok!" Ella responded excitedly and ran to the kitchen.

"Ella, walk!" Mary Margaret said firmly.

"It's alright." David said with a chuckle. "I'm guessing she is as eager to see Emma as Emma is to see her."

"I'm sure. She gets a little restless when she's grounded with nothing to do, but chores and homework." Mary Margaret said with a tired sigh.

"I know what you mean. It's like they are caged animals when they are grounded." David said with a chuckle as he came a little closer to Mary Margaret. "But enough talk of our girls, how are you doing this weekend?"

"Good now that I am here." Mary Margaret said as she blushed a little.

"You look beautiful today." David said with a charming smile.

"Why thank you. You don't look to bad yourself." Mary Margaret replied with a shy smile.

David took her hand with a smile. "We better go check on the girls before Emma decides to take over the cooking and burns the place down…"

Mary Margaret chuckled, but was really thinking of the hand she was now holding. They had been talking more the last few weeks and had hung out quite a bit with their girls with them. She was falling hard for David, especially after he had helped with Ella on Friday. She could tell that he was a good foster father to Emma and would be a good father to Ella if their relationship went the way she hoped it would.

Emma nudged Ella as their parents came in the kitchen holding hands. Ella rolled her eyes. "Could they be anymore cheesy?" Ella whispered.

"I know, right?" Emma said with a chuckle.

"Emma, are you feeling any better today?" Mary Margaret asked in concern as she came over to the girls.

"Yeah, I'm fine now." Emma said and David chuckled.

"She isn't fine. She still has a bit of a cold and her wrist is still bothering her, but she is doing better today." David explained to Mary Margaret as Emma rolled her eyes.

Ella couldn't help for the little green monster to show up as she listened to her mom and David talking about Emma. She just felt like Emma was growing closer to both David and her mom so quickly unlike her. She just wanted to grow closer to her real dad, at least she hoped he was really her dad. If he wasn't and the curse broke, she would be sent away and then this whole thing would have been for nothing.

"Um David, can we watch TV in the living room?" Emma asked, hoping that he would forget about her grounding and let them watch TV.

"Emma, you know that you are grounded so you can't watch TV." David responded with a smirk, at what she was trying.

"And so is Ella, so she can't watch TV either." Mary Margaret added.

Emma and Ella both frowned.

"What are we supposed to do then?" Emma asked with a frown.

"Talk? Play a game? Draw a picture? There are lots of things you can do." David said with an amused look.

"Draw a picture? We aren't five." Emma said with a giggle before turning to Ella and taking her hand. "Come on, lets go find something to do."

David rolled his eyes and chuckled. "She doesn't have TV and she doesn't know what to do. Maybe I need to limit her TV time a little more when she's off restriction."

"I know, its hard for this generation to keep themselves busy if they don't have a TV in front of them. I think it does them good to have a little break from the TV." Mary Margaret responded seriously.

"I agree. Well, I better check on dinner, you want to help me?" David asked with a charming smile.

"I would love to." Mary Margaret said as she followed him.

*****OUAT*****

 _Meanwhile in Emma's room_

"Are you sick of being grounded yet?" Emma asked as she plopped down on her bed dramatically.

"Yes. There is nothing to do, but if I complain mom just gives me chores or homework to do." Ella responded as she laid down beside Emma.

"Oh that sucks. I hope she doesn't give David that idea." Emma said with a horrified look.

"This morning I complained about being bored and she walked away and came back with a list of things for me to do. I thought she was kidding, but boy was I wrong." Ella complained and Emma started to laugh.

"It's not funny! That list took all day, I just finished before we came here! Not to mention the homework she made me do last night and this morning." Ella continued to complain. "Oh it is nice to complain without getting more chores!" Ella added with a tired sigh.

"That is hilarious." Emma said with another giggle.

"I'm glad it brought you some enjoyment." Ella responded with her own giggle. "Ugh I'm just sick of being cooped up inside."

"At least you got to get out of your house. I've been stuck here since we got home yesterday." Emma said then got an idea. "Hey, dinner won't be ready for another half hour. You want to get some fresh air?" Emma said with a mischievous look.

Ella bit her lip, she knew Emma wasn't up to anything good, but she didn't really care this time. She was already in trouble and although she didn't want to get in trouble with David, she did like the attention she got from him when she was getting in trouble. "Yea?" Ella said with a sheepish smile.

"Really? You would sneak out with me?" Emma asked with a surprised look at Ella, who never wanted to get in trouble.

"Yeah, I'm really sick of being inside and its only been a day. I need a little adventure to tie me over till Monday!" Ella replied.

"Ok, well in order to get away with it we better go now so we can get back in time for dinner."

"What are we doing?" Ella asked curiously.

"Well, have you ever snuck out a two story window?" Emma asked as she walked towards her window.

"Wait, what?" Ella asked a little unsure, she had a certain fear of heights.

"We are going to climb down the trestle to get out of the house. I did it on Thursday to get out of the house, it worked out perfectly! Well besides the part when I got in more trouble because of it." Emma rambled as she opened the window. Totally oblivious to the fact that Ella was freaking out.

"Is it hard to climb down?" Ella asked in worry.

"No, its easy and I can help you!" Emma said in excitement.

"Ok." Ella said, half-scared and half-excited to do something they weren't supposed to do.

"Here I will go first." Emma said as she stepped out of the window on the ledge and started slowly to the edge where she could grab onto the trestle to climb down it.

Ella stepped out on the ledge nervously and crept towards the side where Emma was getting on the trestle.

Emma coached Ella through it even though Ella was freaking out inside. She didn't want Emma to know about her fear of heights though. She'd rather keep that a secret. It wasn't something she was proud of. She figured it made her less brave and that bothered her a lot.

She somehow made it down without too big of a freak out, but she wasn't looking forward to climbing back up it.

"Wasn't that fun?!" Emma asked with a grin.

"Yeah." Ella said, thinking that now that it was over, it was nice to be out of the house!

"Come on, lets go for a walk!" Emma said as they snuck off.

*****OUAT*****

30 minutes later…

"Girls, time to eat!" David called up the stairs for the third time. "Wonder what is keeping them?"

"I don't know, but we better go see." Mary Margaret said with a sigh. She hoped the girls hadn't gotten into trouble.

They headed up to Emma's room and knocked on the door. When they didn't hear anything, David opened the door. "Emma…Ella…Oh no." David said as he saw the empty room and the open window.

"They climbed out her window?" Mary Margaret said in worry.

David nodded and was about to head out of the room when Emma climbed in through room, unaware of David and Mary Margaret's presence. She looked up as she was half way into see David and Mary Margaret looking at her firmly.

"Uh Hi guys…we just needed some fresh air." Emma tried in a joking manner.

"Oh no you don't. You were grounded for doing exactly what you just did!" David said as he came over to her quickly and pulled her in before looking out the window. He was expecting to see Ella, but he didn't. He came back into the room. "Where's Ella?" David asked Emma in panic.

"She was right behind me." Emma said, but with worry.

"David, she's afraid of heights." Mary Margaret told him in worry.

"Ok. You stay up here in case she makes it up and I'll go outside to check on her." David said before walking out of the room quickly.

David headed outside and to the side of the house to see that Ella was clinging to the trestle tightly about three-fourths of the way up. "Ella, are you okay?" David asked as he thought of what he could do to help her.

Ella grimaced. She thought she heard them in the room. "I'm fine." She didn't want to seem weak in front of David.

David smiled softly. She was a bit stubborn like Emma. "Well do you think you can come back down?"

Ella tried to take a step down, but didn't get it in a hole and almost fell. She clung back to the trestle in fear. "I can't." Ella told him, close to tears.

"Ok. Just hold on, I'll be right back." David said as he ran to get his ladder out of the garage and set it up.

"I'm coming up, Ella." David told her as he started to climb up the ladder that he had put right by the house.

David reached out and patted Ella's back. "I'm here." He told her to try to calm her some. "I'm going to help you get on the ladder, okay?"

"Ok." Ella said quietly.

David coached Ella through coming over to the ladder. It took a little bit since she was scared, but he got her to the ladder. He then coached her down the ladder since she was still shaking from the ordeal. Once they were all the way down. Ella turned to David and hugged him as she shook from fear.

"It's okay. You're safe now." David reassured her. "Come on, lets get you inside to your mom."

David lead Ella back inside to see Mary Margaret and Emma coming down the stairs.

"Is she okay?" Mary Margaret asked as she came over to her.

Ella turned from David and hugged her mom.

"She's okay, just shaken up about it." David said softly. "Why don't you go on into the living room with her? Emma and I will check on dinner." David said wanting to give Ella some space.

"Thank you." Mary Margaret said as she led Ella to the living room to calm her down.

David waited for them to get to the living room before looking at Emma. "Did you know she had a fear of heights?" David asked quietly.

"No, she didn't tell me. She got down fine." Emma said feeling terrible.

"Ok. Why were you two climbing out your window in the first place?" David asked with a frown.

"We just wanted to get out for a little bit." Emma said with a bit of a whine.

"But you two are both grounded and I told you that you were not allowed to climb down or up that trestle. It's dangerous." David responded with a disappointed look.

"I know, but it isn't that dangerous." Emma tried, even though she knew it wasn't going to hold.

"Ella almost fell off the trestle and it is not that sturdy. The wood could break or you could lose your holding and fall from it. Not to mention being on the roof is dangerous too. You are not allowed to go on that roof or the trestle ever again. Do you understand?" David asked sternly.

"Yes, sir." Emma replied.

"Good and I think you should apologize to both Ella and Ms. Blanchard for convincing Ella of this stunt." David added.

"But Ella wanted to leave the room just as much as I did." Emma whined.

"Emma. That's not the point. I know that Ella didn't come up with the idea to sneak out of your room, did she?"

"No, but…" Emma started to argue.

"No buts. You will apologize, but right now we need to check on dinner." David said as he led her to the kitchen.

"Wait, I am in more trouble now?" Emma asked in a whiny voice.

"What do you think?" David asked with a chuckle.

Emma groaned and David chuckled again.

*****OUAT*****

Mary Margaret finally got Ella settled down after a couple of minutes. "Ella, why did you climb out the window? You know that is not safe."

Ella looked down at her hands. "I just wanted to get out for a little bit."

"Ella, you are grounded and you are out of the house getting to spend time with your friend, why did you feel the need to break the rules?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders.

Mary Margaret sighed. "Ok, then why did you climb out onto the roof and down the trestle when you are afraid of heights?"

"I didn't want Emma to know that I was scared of heights." Ella responded seriously.

Mary Margaret nodded in understanding. "So you did something dangerous? Ella that is not good decision making. You know better to do something so dangerous and break the rules of your grounding." Mary Margaret scolded her.

"I'm sorry." Ella mumbled in embarrassment at her Mom scolding her when both Emma and David could hear her.

"You're forgiven, but I will be adding a week to your grounding." Mary Margaret said with a disappointed look at her daughter.

"But Mom…" Ella started to argue.

'Uh uh. You're the one the decided to climb out that window and break the rules so don't complain to me about your consequence or else I will just add to it. Understand, young lady?" Mary Margaret said sternly to her daughter.

"Mom…you're talking to loud…" Ella complained in embarrassment.

Mary Margaret chuckled and shook her head. "I'm sure David and Emma had their own conversation and aren't worrying about ours. Now let's go see if dinner is ready."

Ella nodded, but still was embarrassed by her mom scolding her in the Nolan house.

Mary Margaret led Ella into the kitchen.

David smiled at Mary Margaret. "Ready for dinner?"

"I think we are." Mary Margaret answered.

"Ella, do you need to wash your hands?" David asked and Ella nodded. "You can wash them in the bathroom down the hallway."

Ella nodded and headed to wash her hands. They were pretty dirty after climbing down the trestle. As she was washing them, Emma came over to her.

"I am sorry, I got us in trouble. I shouldn't have suggested that we climb out the window." Emma said with a sympathetic look.

"It's alright, I didn't say no to it. It is just as much my fault as it is yours." Ella said as she finished washing her hands and dried them. Emma then started to wash her hands.

"Why didn't you tell me you were scared of heights?" Emma asked kindly.

"I just didn't want you to think I was a baby. I don't really like sharing that detail about myself. It makes me weak." Ella tried to explain.

"It doesn't make you weak. Everyone is scared of something." Emma said softly.

"I know, but I don't like that about myself. I would rather not be a scared-cat with heights." Ella said with a frown.

"I know what you mean, but its okay to have a fear of heights." Emma said as she dried her hands. "So did you get in any more trouble?"

"Yes. I got an extra week of restriction." Ella said with a roll of her eyes. "What about you?"

"I am not sure what consequence I am getting, but he said that I was in more trouble. I hope he doesn't extend my grounding, it is already long enough!" Emma complained.

"How long are you grounded for again?" Ella asked.

"For at least the next two weeks." Emma said with a groan.

"Girls, what's taking so long?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Nothing, we are ready." Ella said quickly and followed Emma out of the bathroom to the kitchen.

*****OUAT*****

"Thank you for coming and sorry for what happened with the girls." David said with an apologetic look.

"It wasn't your fault. Ella was just as much as at fault as Emma was." Mary Margaret replied.

David nodded with a smile. "Hey I was wondering if I take you out again soon? On a real date?"

Mary Margaret blushed. They had gone out for coffee or dinner at Granny's, but it was always casual. He was talking about a real date where they got dressed up and went to a nice place. "I would like that."

"Good, would tomorrow be too soon?" David asked with a sheepish smile.

"That would be fine, we're you thinking lunch or dinner?" Mary Margaret asked with a smile.

"I was thinking lunch, if that will work?" David answered.

"That would be perfect." Mary Margaret said.

Emma and Ella had been saying goodbye and just started to walk towards their parents and heard about their date. Emma pulled Ella back into the kitchen.

"If they both go on a date…." Emma started with a mischievous look.

"We could sneak out and do something!" Ella whispered in excitement. She knew this wasn't something they should do, but for some reason she just was liking doing things like Emma did.

"Yes!" Emma replied with a grin.

"What would we do?" Ella asked with a grin.

"Go to a movie?" Emma said with a grin.

"Ok, I'll just have to figure out how to get my mom to give me money…" Ella said with a frown. Her allowance got taken away until she was off her grounding.

"Tell her it is for a field trip." Emma suggested.

"She would know about it already. She would know I was lying right away." Ella said with a frown. "I'll figure it out."

"I'll have to figure it out too." Emma said thinking she didn't have any money either. "Well if we don't get the money we will just do something else."

"Ok, but I'll try." Ella said.

"Me too." Emma said. "Where should we meet tomorrow?"

"Do you know where the castle is?" Ella asked.

"There is a castle in Storybrooke?" Emma asked with skeptical look.

Ella rolled her eyes. "Not a real castle. It is a playground, it's a bit broken down so not many kids actually play on it, but I like to go there. It's kind of my place. Normally no one is there."

"Cool. Where is it?" Emma asked.

"It's by the beach just off of Main Street." Ella told her.

"Ella, lets go." Mary Margaret called.

Emma whispered into Ella's ear. "Meet there about 15 minutes after they leave?"

Ella nodded.

David and Mary Margaret looked at each other with a suspicious look. Their girls looked like they were up to something.

Ella came over to her mom.

"What were you two whispering about?" Mary Margaret asked her daughter.

"Nothing." Ella said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes as David frowned. He could tell when someone was lying or avoiding telling the truth and Ella was avoiding the truth which meant that their daughters were up to something.

"Well I will see you tomorrow at 11:30?" Mary Margaret said with a smile.

"I'm looking forward to it." David said with charming smile.

Emma and Ella just rolled their eyes at each other.

"Me too." Mary Margaret said as she blushed a little before looking over at Ella. "Let's go, Ella."

Ella started to follow her mom.

"Bye Ella." David said with a kind smile at her.

"Bye." Ella said shyly. She felt a little weird around him still. She wanted so badly to have a relationship with him, but she wasn't sure if he necessarily wanted to get to know her or just her mom. Not that he was bad guy, but she just didn't see him wanting to get to know her. And she wasn't exactly used to having a Dad or someone that was supposed to be her Dad, at least she hoped he was her real father, just liked she hoped that her mom was her real mother. If the curse broke and she found out that she wasn't their daughter, she would be crushed. Because why would they want her if they were back to being their pre-curse selves that were royalty. They wouldn't want her if she wasn't their daughter. She would be nobody, nobody to anybody.

"Ella? Are you okay?" Mary Margaret asked as Ella sat in the passenger side quietly. She hadn't spoken since they left David's place.

"Yeah." Ella replied.

Mary Margaret frowned. "Then why are you so quiet?" She asked kindly.

"I'm fine, mom." Ella responded with a tired sigh.

Mary Margaret nodded and backed off. She knew Ella would come to her when she wanted to, but she hated seeing her sad. She briefly wondered if it was about her not having a dad, again. It had been a recurring issue with her which was totally understandable. Little girls want their Dads and Ella never had one. They didn't even know who her real parents were. There was no trace of her parents. Then she had never married. The only person that she has ever considered would be David. She had never felt a connection so strong with any of the other guys in town. It was weird. She felt like she already knew him. She also felt as if she already loved him. She shook her head, realizing how it was too soon to have those feelings for a guy. She couldn't possibly be in love with David already or could she?

 **I have a lot of good ideas for the the events leading up to the curse breaking and I'll be trying to get to the curse breaking in the next few chapters. Hope you like this chapter. If you have any suggestions, I loved to hear them!**


	7. First Date

Emma and Ella

Chapter 7: First Date

Sunday at 11:15am

"Now, all you have to do is warm up your lunch that is in the refrigerator when you are ready for lunch. Then I want you to finish your homework and if you finish all of it you can read for a little bit. But no TV and no leaving the apartment. You know where the emergency numbers are if you needed them… Don't roll your eyes at me."

"Mom, I'm 12 almost 13! I will be fine on my own for a couple of hours. Wait how long will you be?"

"I should be back by 2 or 2:30 at the latest." Mary Margaret answered, thinking nothing of her question.

"Okay." Ella nodded and then looked sheepishly. "Mom, can I just order pizza for lunch?" Ella couldn't think of another way of getting cash from her mom for the movie.

Mary Margaret shook her head no. "No, you have a perfectly good lunch in the refrigerator."

"Yeah perfectly healthy." Ella said with a frown.

Mary Margaret just smiled at her. "You like it and you know it. We will get pizza another night or maybe just make a homemade pizza."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Hey don't be like that." Mary Margaret gently scolded.

"Sorry." Ella apologized sincerely.

Mary Margaret smiled before heading to the bathroom to check to make sure she looked okay for her date.

Ella bit her lip. She had a plan B for getting the money that she hoped she would be get caught with, but she had to try. She wanted to see a movie with Emma. She quickly and quietly snuck over to her mom's purse and found a ten-dollar bill. She snuck it in her pocket before heading back to the living room feeling extremely guilty for just stealing from her mom. If her mom found out, she would be dead.

There was a knock on the door and Ella almost jumped out of her skin. Thankfully her mom hadn't seen her or else she might know she was up to something.

"Ella can you get the door?" Mary Margaret called a little nervously.

Ella scrunched up her face. She felt a little weird opening the door for her mom's date, even if it was David, her real Dad, or at least she hoped.

She slowly walked to the door and opened it.

"Hey Ella, is your Mom ready?" David asked kindly.

"Almost." Ella responded shyly.

"Can I come in?" David asked with a smile.

Ella smiled back. "I guess."

David smiled as Ella stepped back to let him in and then closed the door. "Thank you." David responded kindly to her with a little smile.

Ella looked down shyly before standing awkwardly as she waited for her mom to come back in the room.

"So what have you been up to today?" David asked her.

"Nothing really." Ella responded.

David smirked. "Nothing. Really?"

"Besides homework and chores, yeah." Ella replied in a bored voice.

"I hope you aren't complaining, Ella." Mary Margaret gently warned Ella as she came into the room.

Ella knew if she complained more she be getting more chores to do and that was the last thing she needed right now! Her homework was finished and she could lie and say she read, but with chores she could be caught if she didn't do them.

"Wow…you look beautiful." David said in awe of Mary Margaret.

Mary Margaret blushed as she looked down shyly. "You don't look too bad yourself."

Ella looked between them and rolled her eyes. They were so cheesy.

David smiled. "Shall we go?" He asked as he motioned with his hand to the door.

Mary Margaret nodded before grabbing her purse and looking over at Ella. Ella froze feeling the ten-dollar bill burning a hole in her pocket. She couldn't possibly know that she stole money with just picking her purse up. "Be good and do the rest of your homework. Call if you need anything."

Ella nodded.

"And stay in loft and lock the door." Mary Margaret continued in worry for her daughter. She didn't often leave her alone and when she did it was for short periods of time.

"I'll be fine, mom. Remember I am 12 not 5?" Ella said with raised eyebrows, looking very much like Mary Margaret.

Mary Margaret smiled and David suppressed a chuckle at how similar Ella looked like her mother.

"Just lock the the door, okay?" Mary Margaret said with a smile.

"I will. I promise." Ella said with a smile back.

"Goodbye, Ella." Mary Margaret said as they left the loft.

When the door shut Ella rolled her eyes before locking the door since she figured her mom was listening for it to lock. She walked over to the window and watch for them to get in David's truck and drive off. She smiled slowly as she realized that they were going the opposite why she would be going so they wouldn't be caught. She ran to go get her jacket, the extra key to the loft, and her backpack before heading out of the loft and to her castle to meet Emma.

*****OUAT*****

Ella reaches the castle first and climbs up to sit on the landing. She pulls out her storybook and opens it up. She needed to start sharing her theory to her friend or more correctly her sister.

Just Emma being here hadn't broken the curse so she had to try to introduce her to the curse to get her to believe.

"Ella!"

Ella jumped at her name being called since she had been reading the ending of the book where Emma was sent through wardrobe to escape the curse. She shuts it quickly and looks up to see Emma walking towards the castle.

Emma climbs up and sits next to Ella. She looks at the book and smirks. "What are you reading? Fairytales?"

"It's more than that..." Ella said biting her lip, wondering if Emma was ready to hear about the curse.

Emma chuckled. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know if you are ready for it yet." Ella said.

"Ready for some stories?" Emma asked skeptically.

"They aren't just stories. Everything in here, really happened." Ella said seriously.

Emma looked at her skeptically and with a look that told Ella she thought she was crazy for believing it.

Ella bit her lip before turning to the story of Snow White and Prince Charming. "See this story is of Prince Charming and Snow White. Don't they look familiar to you?"

"Maybe, but that means nothing. It's just a story."

"But it's not the normal fairytale, it's different." Ella went on to explain to Emma how Snow met Charming and all the events that led up to the Evil Queen's curse and Emma being sent through the portal. "See, that's you. And isn't that exactly like your baby blanket?"

Emma shook her head. "My parents, whoever they are, must have had the same book and made a replica of the blanket. Not that they would care that much since they dumped me on the side the road."

"No, that's just where you came through. They were giving you your best chance. The Evil Queen would have killed you." Ella told her.

Emma rolled her eyes. "So if I'm this savior then who would be my parents here in Storybrooke?" Emma asked skeptically.

"Snow White is my mom and Prince Charming is your dad." Ella told her, hoping she connect the dots and believe.

"And who are you?" Emma asked shaking her head at the crazy story she was telling her.

"I'm not in the book." Ella said. "I was found outside of Mom's door and no one knew who my parents were so my mom adopted me."

"Wait you aren't really Ms. Blanchard's daughter?" Emma asked, having not realized that she was adopted.

"As far as I know, I am not, but I did show up at her doorstep. I'm thinking that's when the curse started so I might be her daughter too.. and your sister..." Ella said with a hopeful look.

Emma sighed. She realized what this was. Ella just wanted the find her parents so bad that she made this theory that Storybrooke was full of cursed fairytale characters that didn't know who they were or that they were stuck in time. It was a desperate attempt to find her family.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Ella said sadly.

"No...sorry" Emma said sympathetically.

"If you had proof would you believe?" Ella asked curiously.

"It depends on what it is." Emma said shrugging her shoulders.

Ella nodded, thinking of how she could find proof of the curse. She had proof from her life experience being in a town that was froze except her. She would find something to prove that it was real. She'd have to do some searching. It would be hard as she was grounded, but she would just have to sneak off again to look for proof. She wasn't crazy. It was all true!

"Come on, let's get to the movie! Oh wait did you get money?" Emma asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, but I ended up taking it from my mom's purse..." Ella said with a sheepish look.

Emma laughed. "I took it from David's wallet. I hope he doesn't notice."

Ella smiled. She felt better that they both did the same thing. "I know. If my mom finds out I stole from her, I'm going to be dead."

Emma chuckled nervously. "I'm really hoping David doesn't notice or else he might just send me back. Stealing is a big no no when you are a foster kid."

"He would never send you back. He's a good dad." Ella reassured her.

"Maybe. He hasn't sent me back yet so it's a possibility he wouldn't. I guess." Emma said with a thoughtful look.

Ella smiled. "Well we better go or else all this will be for nothing."

"Exactly and I know what we should see." Emma said as they got up and started to the small movie theatre that was in a Storybrooke.

*****OUAT*****

Meanwhile with David and Mary Margaret

"A picnic? David this is amazing!" Mary Margaret said with a grin and a look of awe at everything that David had thought of and done for their date. "It's perfect."

David grinned and leaned in to kiss Mary Margaret. He leaned away and looked at her lovingly. "Have I told you how beautiful you look today?"

"Just a couple times." Mary Margaret said with a blush.

"Well its true. You are so beautiful." David said before kissing her again.

*****OUAT*****

Back with Emma and Ella

"Oh snap! It is 2:00 already!" Emma said as she saw the time.

"No! My mom said she would be back by 2 or 2:30. I hope it is closer to two thirty!" Ella said with wide eyes. "If we get caught, we will be grounded for life!"

"We won't! Let's get you home first. Maybe you will make it before your mom gets back." Emma said as they started to run towards Ella's home.

As they got closer to the building, they spotted David's truck and knew that if they didn't hide around the building they would get caught.

"I'm dead. So dead. You should say goodbye to me know because she is going to kill me." Ella said seriously as she peeked out to see David parking and getting out to open her mom's door. She then turned quickly to Emma and put her hands on her arms. "But you can probably make it home in time!"

"I'm not letting you get in trouble for all this on your own. It's not too late for you to get in. Have you ever used your fire escape? I know you are afraid of heights, but maybe I could help you." Emma said desperately.

"I'll try, but you need to go and try to make it home!" Ella said as she went towards the fire escape.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked in worry.

"Yes. Maybe we both can get out of this still." Ella said with a smile before starting up the fire escape. Thankfully it went right to the outside of her window that was in her room. She just hoped the window wasn't stuck.

"Ok. Good luck." Emma said before running off.

Ella made it to the second floor when she heard her name being called.

*****OUAT*****

"Do you hear that?" David asked with a frown. He swore he just heard Emma and Ella's voices.

"No, what was it?" Mary Margaret asked before hearing more talking from the side of the building.

They both headed to the side of the building where the fire escape was. They both saw Ella on the second landing of the fire escape about to climb up the next ladder. They also saw that the fire escape wasn't in good shape and wasn't sturdy as it should be.

"Ella!" Mary Margaret yelled in both worry and anger.

"I'll get her down." David said as he went to the end of the fire escape and carefully started to climb up it. "Ella, try climbing down." David instructed.

Ella looked towards her mom and didn't want to climb down. It had nothing to do with her fear of heights this time, it was all about the fear of her mother.

"Come on, Ella. I won't let anything happen to you." David said, thinking she was freezing up because of her fear of heights.

Ella started towards him. She got to the first landing and David climbed down first and then helped Ella down. As soon as she was down, Mary Margaret marched over to her and grabbed her arm.

"What in the world were you thinking?" Mary Margaret practically yelled at her.

"I…I…" Ella started nervously. She had nothing to say that would excuse her being on the fire escape. Whether she was going or coming, she had still snuck out of the house and was in big trouble.

"I'm guessing you were trying to sneak in before I got home, am I right?" Mary Margaret asked in frustration.

"Uh…." Ella started and stopped. She didn't know what to say. She was caught and she had no excuse for being out of the loft.

"Am I right?" Mary Margaret repeated in a quiet and very stern voice.

"Yes." Ella practically whispered as she looked at her mom nervously.

"So you snuck out and then tried to sneak back in by climbing up the fire escape? You know that is dangerous, especially after the stunt you pulled at David's, I thought you would have known better than to do something so dangerous again! And sneaking out again, I must not be getting through to you enough! I guess just being grounded isn't enough, is it?" Mary Margaret scolded Ella.

Ella just looked at her mom with grimace. She couldn't even come up with a good excuse.

"Was Emma with you?" David asked, knowing he heard two voices before and he figured if Ella had snuck out that Emma did too.

Ella shook her head no. "No, she didn't know I was sneaking out." Ella replied quickly, too quickly.

"You're lying, aren't you?" David asked with a frown.

"No, I am not." Ella said trying to look convincing, but she was failing miserably.

"Do not lie, young lady!" Mary Margaret scolded her, seeing the lie as well.

Ella looked down in embarrassment.

"I better get home." David said with a sigh.

Mary Margaret nodded. "And I have to deal with my daughter."

"I'm sorry our date ended this way." David said with a frown.

"It isn't your fault. It was a lovely date and I would love to be able to go on another date with you, but I think I'll need a babysitter for that one." Mary Margaret said and David nodded with a smirk. Ella was blushing even more at her Mom's comment.

"Me too." David said before leaning over to kiss Mary Margaret goodbye. "Talk to you later?"

"Definitely." Mary Margaret said with a smile.

David started heading off to his truck, hoping to catch Emma before she snuck back in the house.

"You and I, young lady, are going to have a very long discussion about your behavior today. I am very disappointed in you." Mary Margaret said as she started to pull Ella inside as she held her upper arm.

"But I…" Ella started, but was caught off.

"But nothing! You disobeyed me and snuck out of this house, then put yourself into danger by climbing up that fire escape just to try to trick me into thinking you were home all day. So no I don't want to hear your excuses or lies." Mary Margaret interrupted her.

*****OUAT****

David made it just as Emma was about to climb up the trestle to her room.

"Stop right there, young lady!" David yelled as he got out of his truck and walked up to her quickly, in case she decided to run.

"Uh David, you are back soon. I was just taking a walk around the house. I thought I might see if there were any chores I could do out here…." Emma lied quickly.

"Chores? You want chores to do?" David asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at her with his "dad" look that he adopted quickly after he got Emma.

"Well no, but…" Emma started.

"But you thought it would be a good lie to tell me to excuse you being outside the house." David said with meaningful look that told her he wasn't buying any of her story.

"No…" Emma said.

"You were trying to sneak back in the house, weren't you?" David asked with raised eyebrows.

"Of course not…" Emma tried.

"Don't lie to me. I know that you were with Ella just shortly before we got back to her place. You ran off before we caught Ella climbing the fire escape."

Emma grimaced. Ella got caught. "She told you?" She said once she realized that they must have gotten the truth out of Ella.

David didn't answer because he hopped that she would slip up and say something they did.

"We didn't do anything bad, just a movie. It isn't a big deal!" Emma tried to excuse her behavior.

"You went to a movie with Ella?" David said with a sigh.

Emma eyes widened. He hadn't known that. Opps.

"Ella, didn't tell me anything." David said before realizing something. Emma was there before him, but was still trying to sneak in by climbing up the trestle. She could have just gone through the front door. "Why didn't you just use the front door?"

Emma looked sheepish. "I locked myself out."

David nodded and tried to keep a smile off his face, but then schooled his features again. "So you were about to climb the trestle right after I told you yesterday not to ever do that again because it is dangerous? I am very disappointed in you, Emma."

Emma looked down with a frown. She knew she was in trouble, but she was secretly happy that he hadn't noticed that she stole from him. She figured he would have found out when he took Mary Margaret to dinner.

"Come on, we have a long discussion to have." David said as he took her arm and brought her to the front door.


	8. Secrets and Lies

_**A/N: Cold day, so no work today! Here is a new chapter! Hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I love hearing from you!**_ __

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 8: Secrets and Lies**

 **Monday Morning at School**

"Hey." Ella said solemnly as she saw Emma in the hall by her locker.

"Hey, I'm guessing you got caught too?" Emma said with a grimace.

Ella nodded. "Yeah. My mom freaked out on me. You got caught too?"

"Yep. Just as I was about to climb up the trestle to my room, David drove up and stopped me. It wasn't a pleasant evening to say the least."

"Neither was mine." Ella said with an embarrassed look.

Emma frowned. "Did you get grounded for longer?"

"Yeah, another week and she grounded me to my room for the night besides dinner." Ella replied, but didn't tell her about the spanking she got from her mom. She had pushed her too far this time, but she didn't want Emma to know about that.

"I got grounded more too and had to go to bed early, not that I fell asleep early." Emma said as she rolled her eyes.

"I know what you mean. I was too worried that my mom would find about us going to the movie and then ask me about how I got the money for the ticket." Ella said with a tired sigh.

Emma's eyes widened, "Oh, I accidentally told my dad that we went to a movie. I thought you had already told them."

"Oh, well he must not have told my mom because she didn't question me. Did you get in trouble for the money you stole?" Ella replied.

Emma shook her head no. "Not yet, I'm hoping that he doesn't find out about that!"

Ella nodded her head too. "I know what you mean. I am in enough trouble as it is. Not to mention that I have my detention today."

"Oh yeah. That really does suck." Emma said with a grimace.

"Thankfully, I didn't have to redo Friday's detention even though I was late to detention." Ella said as they made their way to Ms. Blanchard's room.

*****OUAT*****

Emma and Ella both tried to be on their best behavior all day on Monday and even on Tuesday, but Ella had to find proof of the curse for Emma so on Wednesday she had a plan to start looking for some kind of evidence.

On Wednesdays, Mary Margaret had her staff meetings and professional development. Ella was instructed to stay in her mom's classroom and work on her homework until she was back. Ella, however, had other plans. She snuck out and started off trying to find something.

 **4:45 pm**

Mary Margaret walked into her classroom ready to tell her daughter to start packing up to find the room empty. She frowned and then realized her daughter was probably just in the bathroom.

She started to gather her things and make sure she was ready for the next day, but five minutes later she realized that Ella still hadn't come back. She finished putting her things together before heading to the girl's bathroom to find it empty. "Ella?"

She started back to her room quickly to see if she was back in the room and she just went to a different bathroom. She then made a quick walk around the school to see if she was in the building walking around, but she didn't see any sign of her. She was about to call David when Ella walked in from outside and froze when she saw her mother.

"Uh…hi mom, I was just getting some fresh air." Ella lied.

"To the room, young lady." Mary Margaret said in a disappointed voice as she pointed to her classroom.

Ella bit her lip and started towards the classroom. She really wished she had got back before her mom's meeting ended.

"Ella. What were you doing while I was in my meeting?" Mary Margaret asked as she crossed her arms over her chest once they got inside the classroom.

"Nothing, Mom. I was just getting some fresh air." Ella tried again.

"We both know that's not true. You were outside for a good while and it wasn't just to get air." Mary Margaret scolded her. "Now, where were you?"

Ella looked down. "I just needed to do something. It was very important." Ella told her, being very vague.

"So important that you decided to break your grounding once again? You know this is the third time that you have broken the rules of your grounding since I grounded you last Friday? What is going on with you lately? Were you with Emma again?"

"No. I wasn't with anyone!" Ella said, this time telling the truth.

Mary Margaret didn't believe her though and decided to call David and ask him if Emma was with him.

Ella waited as her mom called and talked to David.

"Well thank you anyway." Mary Margaret said with a frown. Emma hadn't been with her.

" _Maybe she went to another movie?" David suggested._

"What do you mean another movie?" Mary Margaret asked with a frown.

" _Emma and Ella went to a movie when we were on our date on Sunday. She didn't tell you, did she?"_

"No, how did they pay for the movie?" Mary Margaret asked as she looked down at Ella looking really nervous and avoiding her eyes.

" _Oh you know. I hadn't thought of that." David said, knowing that Emma hadn't had any money._

"Ella, where'd you get the money for the movie?" Mary Margaret asked Ella while she was still on the phone with David.

Ella was biting her lip and looking at the floor.

"Is that why you asked if you could order a pizza? You wanted money for the movie?" Mary Margaret asked.

Ella nodded without looking at her mom.

"Where did you get the money, Ella?" Mary Margaret asked as she lifted her chin so she would look at her.

It then dawned on her that she had thought she lost ten dollars from her purse, but she hadn't lost it at all. "You stole it from my purse didn't you?"

Ella tried to look back down, but her mom held her chin tightly.

"Answer me, Ella." Mary Margaret asked sternly.

"I…I…stole it from your purse before you left…" Ella whispered to her mom.

"Ella Louise." Mary Margaret said in disappointment before realizing she was still on the phone with David. "I'm sorry, David. I better let you go."

" _That's alright, I need to have my own talk with Emma." David said before hanging up._

"Go get your things, we will be talking about all this at home." Mary Margaret said once she was off the phone.

Ella did, but was feeling extremely nervous about getting in trouble again. Not to mention that her mom had been scolding her while on the phone with David. She even middle named her! She hated her middle name! She hoped he didn't hear it. It was so embarrassing having such a terrible middle name. She had no clue why her mom named her that.

They got home about 20 minutes later and Mary Margaret had Ella sit on the couch as she got dinner started.

"Ella, I really don't know what to do with you. You have been extremely disobedient lately. You got two detentions, snuck out three times, and stolen money from my purse! What has gotten into you lately?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders, unable to say anything that would help her situation.

"Well do you have anything you would like to say?"

Ella shook her head no.

Mary Margaret sighed. "Maybe you should start by telling me where you were this afternoon during my meeting?"

Ella bit her lip. She didn't want to tell her mom what she was doing or else she'd just be in bigger trouble.

"Ella, I'm losing my patience with you. What were you doing?"

"I was….looking for evidence of the curse so that I could get Emma to believe in it." Ella said, hoping that her mom wouldn't press her for more information.

Mary Margaret frowned. "You still think that the curse is real?"

"Of course I do." Ella replied with a hurt look at her mom not believing her either.

"You told Emma about the curse and she didn't believe you?" Mary Margaret asked with a sympathetic, yet concerned look. She would hate to see Ella lose a good friend like Emma because of her theories. Ella didn't have that many real friends. In fact, Emma was the first friend that Ella actually liked doing things with outside of school. The rest of her friends were only school friends and they never lasted very long at all.

"She didn't, but she will and then she will break the curse. Then you will remember everything." Ella said confidently.

Mary Margaret looked at her sadly. "Ella…"

"No, mom. I don't want to hear that it isn't real because it is. I am not going to stop believing!" Ella said firmly.

Mary Margaret frowned. She was thinking that she may need to start scheduling sessions with Archie if she kept believing in this theory. "Alright, Alright. I just worry about you, honey."

"I know, but I'm fine, really." Ella said, hoping that her mom forgot about what she had done and just felt sorry for her. "Now can we eat?"

Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "No, we aren't done talking about your behavior."

"But Mom, I won't sneak out again. I promise." Ella complained.

"See, I don't believe you after you have done this for now the third time. I don't trust you so from now on, if I am not with you and you aren't in class, you will have a babysitter."

"But mom!"

"Uh uh. I am not done. For you stealing money from my purse, I expect you to pay me back once I start your allowance up again, which won't be for a good long while since you are grounded already. And you will write me an essay on why it is not okay to steal."

"An essay?! That's not…"

"Don't you finish that sentence…. I haven't added any chores to your punishment, but I will if you start complaining!" Mary Margaret warned her firmly.

Ella crossed her arms and started to pout, but didn't complain. She knew her mom was serious and would put her to work on doing chores.

"Now, I am guessing you didn't do your homework so you have some that you need to do?"

Ella nodded solemnly.

"Then you better get to it."

*****OUAT*****

"Emma, how did you get money to go to the movie theatre on Sunday?" David asked as he walked into the kitchen where Emma was finishing up her homework.

"Uh…I just had it." Emma said wondering where this was coming from. She figured she was out of the woods for this one.

David narrowed his eyes. "No you didn't."

Emma grimaced. "Oh alright, Ella let me borrow some of her money."

David knew that the tickets were about 7 dollars and Mary Margaret had been missing a ten-dollar bill. That would only be three dollars left over. Plus Emma was looking very nervous and he knew now that he had been short ten dollars. "Did you take the money from my wallet?" David asked slowly.

Emma bit her lip and winced. What if he gave her back for this? She couldn't admit to stealing the money…. She didn't want to leave him. "I didn't I promise."

"Emma don't lie to me. You stole that money, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't." Emma said as she shook her head quickly, but David could tell she was lying. He also could see that her eyes were watery as she tried to keep herself from crying.

"Emma, please just tell me the truth." David said as he turned her chin to him.

Emma started to cry immediately once she was looking up into his face. "I did steal it… I am so sorry, please don't send me back! I won't do it again, I promise!"

"Oh Emma. I am not going to send you back. I promise." David said as he framed her face with his hands and started to wipe away her tears.

"But I stole from you…" Emma said with a stunned look.

"Yes, but you will learn from this and know for next time that it is not okay to steal, right?"

"Yeah, but normally my foster parents won't tolerate stealing." Emma said, still worried that he would send her away.

"I am not tolerating it, but that doesn't mean I am going to send you away. I am going to punish you for it so that you will learn from this and not do it again." David told her.

Emma grimaced. "I'm in more trouble?"

"Yes. Since you can't pay be back since you aren't getting allowance, you will pay me back by doing chores around the house. I'll make you a list and when you get them done, I'll call it even." David said.

Emma scrunched up her face. "You got that from Ms. Blanchard didn't you? Ella always has to do chores for punishments."

David chuckled. "Maybe I did."

Emma rolled her eyes. This wasn't good. He might start giving her chores when she complained like Ella's mom did! That would be terrible!

*****OUAT*****

 **About a week later, on Tuesday….**

"Hey so I was wondering if you could do me a favor." Mary Margaret asked as David picked up Emma from tutoring.

"Of course. What is it?" David asked.

"Well tomorrow I have a meeting after school. Normally I'd let Ella just stay in my classroom and do homework, but after last week when Ella snuck out, I don't trust her to be on her own. Would it be too much trouble for her to come and stay with you and Emma until my meeting is over?"

"That would be fine and no trouble at all. But I normally bring Emma to the station with me for the rest of my shift. Would you be okay with that?"

"Is it safe?"

"Yes. I won't let anything happen to either of them." David responded seriously.

"Then it's fine with me." Mary Margaret said with a smile.

"Good. Do you want her to just do her homework?"

"Yes and I'll pick her up around 5, is that alright?"

"Yeah, we will be back to the house by then." David responded.

"Ok. Thanks so much for doing this. I don't want her wandering around outside. She wouldn't even tell me what she did." Mary Margaret said in frustration.

"That doesn't sound like her." David said with a frown.

"I know. There were times before that she had run off without my permission, but I thought we were done with that."

"What had she been doing?" David asked thoughtfully.

"Well, she has this fairy tale book that I gave to her a long time ago and for good while she was convinced that those stories were real. She thought that Storybrooke was full of fairy tale characters that were cursed and didn't know who they were anymore. I thought over the past a year or so that she grew out of them, but I guess I was wrong." Mary Margaret responded quietly.

"She believes they are true?" David asked quiet voice so that neither Ella or Emma could hear them.

"Yes. I was hoping she grow out of it, but now I am starting to get worried. If this keeps going, I'm considering taking her to Archie. Is that terrible?"

"No, she is a bit old to believe something like." David answered kindly.

"I know." Mary Margaret responded. "Well I will see you tomorrow then."

"See you then." David said before giving her quick kiss.

Ella and Emma both said, "Eww" at the same time.

David chuckled and Mary Margaret blushed. They hadn't kissed in front of their girls until now.

"Come on, Emma." David said as he started towards the door and put an arm around her as they left the room.

"What were you talking to Mr. Nolan about?" Ella asked.

"I was asking him if he would watch you tomorrow while I'm at my meeting." Mary Margaret told her.

Ella's eyes widened. "Why?"

"Because last week you snuck off during my meeting." Mary Margaret said with her mom look.

"Oh." Ella said with a frown. "But I won't do it again."

"See I wish I could trust you, but I can't, not after you snuck out so many times. So David will be watching you tomorrow and I'll pick you up after my meeting." Mary Margaret said with an air of finality. She wasn't changing her mind and nothing Ella could say would change it.

 **Hope you like! I have a good two chapters written after this so the next update should be sometime this weekend! I'm working my way to when the curse will be broken!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I finally was able to get back to my writing! I am finally on break, but its been busy with Christmas! Hope you like the chapter! I'll try to get more out soon! Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows! It keeps me motivate to keep going! Enjoy Chapter 9!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 9**

 **Wednesday around 3:15**

"David should be here soon. Ella, you be on your best behavior for David. I don't want to hear that you were causing trouble for him."

"Mom, I am not a little kid. I'll be good." Ella responded in embarrassment.

"Well you and Emma haven't been on your best behavior when you have been together." Mary Margaret responded seriously.

Ella just gave a sheepish look. What she was saying was true, they hadn't been on their best behavior when they had gotten together outside of school.

Emma came into Mary Margaret's with her backpack. "Ready Ella?"

"Yes, we are just going to walk out and meet him." Ella told her mom.

"Oh no, he said he'd come in to get you two." Mary Margaret said.

"But Mom…" Ella started. She did have plans that didn't include going with David…

"No Ella. Now sit down and wait for David."

A few minutes later, David walked into the room. "Hey girls, ready to go?"

Emma and Ella both got up and nodded their heads as Mary Margaret came over to walk them out. She was going to head to her meeting.

"Thanks for watching her again." Mary Margaret said as Ella rolled her eyes and Emma hid a smile.

"It's no problem." David said with a smile.

They all left the room and David got the girls in his truck to take them to the station.

David got the girls set up at one of the desks in the station to work on their homework as he continued to work in his office on a few things. He would keep an ear out for them and check on them every once in a while.

"Ok, I got to sneak out of here." Ella told Emma once David had left them.

"What? Why?" Emma asked in shock. Ella was acting so strange lately. She was secretly going different places whenever she could. She wouldn't even tell her where she was sneaking off to. She was definitely not acting like herself.

"I have to look for something….I am so close to finding proof." Ella said, hoping Emma would cover for her.

"Proof for what?" Emma asked.

"The curse. You said you would believe me if I had proof so I am going to find proof." Ella told her confidently.

"That's why you have been sneaking around the last week?" Emma asked.

"Yeah. I think that I'm on to something, but this is my only chance this week to sneak off until the weekend." Ella told her.

"Ella, you don't need to do this just to get me to believe. I don't want you to get in anymore trouble." Emma said.

"So you will believe me without proof?" Ella asked.

"Well no, but..." Emma answered sheepishly.

"Then I have to do this. It is important and when you break the curse…" Ella started.

"When I break the curse?!" Emma said in shock, she hadn't heard that detail yet.

"Oh yeah…I guess I didn't tell you that you are the Savior and are destined to break the curse." Ella said with a sheepish look.

"Ella…I am not a savior and this curse isn't real, it's just another story." Emma said a little bit frustrated at Ella.

Ella frowned, seeing the frustration and disbelief from her friend. "You are and I'll prove it to you." Ella said as she stood up to leave.

"Ella…don't, you will get in trouble." Emma pleaded with her.

"It doesn't matter. This is more important." Ella said, but she did seem a bit nervous. "Just cover for me please." Ella pleaded. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Ella."

"Please, Emma."

"Ok, but I don't think it will work." Emma said nervously.

"Just do what you can." Ella said before leaving the room and sneaking down the hall to the door.

A minute later….

David comes out reading a file and looks up to see that only Emma is in the room. "Where's Ella?"

"Oh she went to the bathroom." Emma said, but was looking nervous.

David narrowed his eyes. "Emma, are you lying to me?"

"Uh…no." Emma said, but avoided looking at David.

"She snuck out, didn't she?" David said, stunned, and Emma nodded. "How long ago?"

Emma grimaced.

"Emma, how long?" David repeated firmly.

"Just a couple minutes ago… Can't you just let her go?"

"No, I can't. Stay here, I'll be right back." David said firmly as he started towards the door quickly.

David got outside and saw Ella walking away from the station. He ran up to her and pulled her arm back gently. "What do you think you are doing?" David asked sternly.

Ella looked up at him with a shocked and nervous look. She hadn't expected to get caught so soon. She also hadn't expected David to freak out on her. "I…" Ella started, but then quit.

"Come on, we will talk about this in the station." David said firmly, when she didn't finish.

"But I have to go…" Ella tried to pull away and keep going, but David didn't let her go. He was holding firmly to her arm.

"No, young lady." David said firmly as he pulled her to the station.

Ella bit her lip. This wasn't good. He wasn't very happy with her now.

David brought her into the station and to his office. "Sit down." David said firmly as he gestured to the chair by his desk.

Ella did sit down and David moved to sit in his desk chair.

"Do you want to tell me where you were going?" David asked quietly.

Ella shook her head no. She wasn't telling him she was planning on going to the mines to find evidence for the curse.

David sighed. "Ella, you can't keep running off like this. It isn't safe."

"I would have been fine." Ella interrupted him.

"Maybe, but you are also grounded, which it doesn't seem like you get that concept… The reason you are even here with me is because your mom doesn't trust you to be alone. And you just proved her right by sneaking off again." David scolded her gently.

Ella was looking down at her lap nervously.

"I am very disappointed in you. You took advantage of being with me to try and sneak off again. Now, I can't trust you either." David scolded her gently.

"Are you going to tell my mom?" Ella asked nervously as she looked up at David.

"What do you think?" David said with raised eyebrows.

"Could you just not tell her?" Ella asked.

David shook his head no. "Why do you keep sneaking off?"

"I have to." Ella answered vaguely.

"Why?" David asked, hoping to get something out of her to help Mary Margaret deal with the situation.

"I can't tell you." Ella responded.

"Is this about your theory?" David asked without thinking about it.

Ella's eyes widened. "It isn't a theory. It's real." Ella told him grumpily as she crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry, honey, I am not trying to offend you. I am just trying to understand why it is so important to you to sneak off when you are grounded." David told her kindly.

"All of you will understand when the curse is broken. You'll remember and understand." Ella told him seriously.

"What will we remember?" David asked seriously.

Ella rolled her eyes. "You'll remember who you really are and the life you had before the curse."

David nodded slowly.

"You don't believe me. It's okay, no one does, but I'll prove it to all of you." Ella said with a frown. She was getting tired of everyone acting like she was crazy, when she was the only one that had it right.

"Is that what you have been doing? Trying to find proof?" David asked and Ella swallowed nervously.

"Maybe…" Ella said, he didn't know where she was trying to go or where she had been sneaking around.

"Ella, you can't go wandering around without your mother's permission. No matter what your reason is. Your mother needs to know where you are at all times."

"But she wouldn't let me go if I told her." Ella said with a frown.

"Well then maybe you shouldn't be going if she wouldn't let you."

Ella frowned and crossed her arms.

David knew he wasn't going to convince her, but he hoped that she would at least think about how she was acting. "Alright. Go on and get to your homework."

Ella got up and started towards the door to the rest of the station.

"And Ella…" David said firmly. "Don't even think of trying to sneak off again." David warned sternly.

Ella gulped and nodded.

"Alright, go on." David said in a softer voice.

Ella went back out to where Emma was doing her homework or pretending to do her homework since she had seen her Dad come in with Ella. She was trying to listen to their conversation, but she couldn't really hear them. She was waiting nervously for Ella to come back out. After a little while, she thought her Dad had decided to keep Ella in his office for the rest of the time.

"What happened?" Emma asked with a grimace.

"He was trying to figure out where I was going to go. He's going to tell my mom." Ella said as she plopped down in the chair beside Emma.

"I told you not to go." Emma said quietly.

Ella glared at her.

"It's true. I am not trying to be mean, but it wasn't the smartest move to make right now." Emma tried to explain to Ella.

Ella started to blink back tears. Why were they all against her? She was just trying to help them all.

"Ella." Emma said softly, as she saw her friend getting upset.

"I'm fine. I should do my homework." Ella said as she started to work on her homework, avoiding looking at Emma.

"Please don't be upset with me. I am not trying to be mean." Emma pleaded with Ella. "I am sorry you got in trouble and I wasn't able to cover for you."

Ella gave Emma shy smile. "It's okay. I know you tried."

Emma smiled. "I did, but he knew I was lying."

Ella nodded her head. "Why is he so good at telling when you are lying?"

"I don't know, but I wish he didn't catch my lies so often." Emma said with a sheepish smile.

Ella chuckled. "Me too."

"You two better get to work and stop talking." David warned from the doorway of his office. He was going to keep a better eye on them this time. He wouldn't put it past Ella to try to sneak off again if she was given the chance.

Emma and Ella both jumped a little as he spoke.

30 minutes later…

"Pack up your things, it's time to head out." David told the girls as he walked over to them.

"Dad, can we stop at Granny's to get a hot chocolate with cinnamon?" Emma asked with a charming smile.

"I don't know, Emma." David said, having not missed her calling him "Dad" again.

"Please, Dad…" Emma said with a puppy dog look.

David smiled and shook his head. "I guess we could." David responded with a smile.

Ella felt a bit awkward since she didn't bring any money and she doubted he would want to buy her a hot chocolate after she tried sneaking off on him. She definitely didn't expect him to buy her one.

"Yes!" Emma said with a big grin.

David chuckled. "Let's get going."

*****OUAT*****

"You want a hot chocolate, Ella?" David asked kindly.

"You don't need to get me one." Ella responded quickly.

"That's not what I asked." David said with a kind smile. "Do you want a hot chocolate?"

Ella bit her lip.

"Of course, she does!" Emma said with a smile. "Do you want cinnamon?"

"Yeah, mom and I always have cinnamon with hot chocolate." Ella answered with a grin.

"Really?" Emma asked with bright, surprised eyes.

"Yeah." Ella said wanting to say it must be a family thing, but stopped herself.

"Alright then, two hot chocolates with cinnamon and a coffee." David said before heading to the counter to order.

*****OUAT*****

"There you go, girls." David said as he handed each of the girls a hot chocolate before grabbing his coffee.

"Thank you." Ella said with a shy smile.

"Yeah, thanks!" Emma added.

"You're both welcome." David said with a grin before ushering them back out to the truck.

 **More to come! Thanks for reading!**


	10. Operation Cobra

**A/N: Here is another one! I'm working my way to the curse being broken I promise! :) Hopefully over the break I'll get to that part in the story! :) Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Warning:** There is a spanking of a minor in this chapter. If you don't like that, don't read. :)

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 10: Operation Cobra**

"Ella, your mom is here." David called up the stairs when he heard her pull into the drive. He went to meet her at the door.

David opened the door and smiled as Mary Margaret came up to the door. "Hi beautiful."

Mary Margaret blushed, "Hey David." She replied with a shy smile.

"How was your meeting?" David asked with an even bigger smile.

"Pointless as usually, but how was my daughter? Did she behave for you?" Mary Margaret asked in concern.

"Well…" David said started, feeling bad for having to give Mary Margaret bad news, but it wasn't something he could keep from her.

"Did she sneak off?" Mary Margaret asked with wide eyes.

"She tried, but I caught her before she got too far. Emma tried to cover for her, but I could tell she was lying so I headed outside and saw her walking away. I talked to her, but couldn't get much out of her on where she was going. I'll I know is that she was trying to get proof of that theory of hers."

"Oh my goodness. I am so sorry. I was thinking she would have been better for you." Mary Margaret said in embarrassment.

"Well after I caught her, she did do better, but I also kept a better eye on her."

"That's good. I certainly will deal with her behavior. I just don't know what else to do to get through to her." Mary Margaret said with a frown.

David gave her a sympathetic look, knowing it was hard being the parent sometimes. Before he could say anything, Ella and Emma started down the stairs. He looked over to Mary Margaret to see her looking at her daughter sternly. He then looked back up to see Ella looking down at the floor to avoid her mother's eyes.

"Ella." Mary Margaret said sternly as Ella got to her. "Is there something you need to say to David?" She added quietly.

Ella's face reddened a little at being talked to like a little kid in front of Emma and David. She knew her mom was telling her to apologize to David, but she didn't want to do that so she came up with a different idea.

"Thanks for watching me…" Ella said quickly and David had to hide a smile at what she just tried.

"Ella, you know that's not what I meant. Now, apologize." Mary Margaret said firmly.

Ella got mad then at being ordered to apologize so she stomped her foot and yelled, "No!" at her mother before storming out the door.

Mary Margaret gasped in surprise at her daughter's nerve. She then looked at David with a sheepish look. "I am sorry. She is normally a lot more behaved than this."

"It's alright. You'll both get through this." David told her kindly before leaning in to kiss her forehead.

"I hope it is soon." Mary Margaret said wearily. "Thanks again for watching her and sorry for everything."

"It was no problem and don't worry about it." David told her kindly.

Mary Margaret smiled before leaving to go deal with her daughter. David shut the door and turned to Emma. "Do you know where Ella was trying to go this afternoon?"

"No. She didn't tell me." Emma told him truthfully.

David narrowed his eyes, but he could tell she was telling her the truth. "Do you know any of the places she has gone?"

"No…" Emma said, but it wasn't completely true.

"What do you know?" David asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." Emma said quickly as she tried to sneak back up the stairs.

"Freeze." David said firmly and Emma froze on the stairs with a sheepish look. "Tell me what you know."

"I….I.." Emma stuttered.

"Emma. Mary Margaret and I are both very worried about her. It would be very helpful if we knew what you know about where she is going." David tried to convince her. He was really worried about her, it was almost like she was his daughter as well. He felt a strange connection to her that he couldn't explain. He had the same connection with Emma when he first met her. He felt the need to protect both Emma and Ella.

Emma bit her lip. She didn't want to tell on Ella, but she was a bit worried about her. "Well…she did tell me that she was sneaking around…the mayor's house…and office for proof of the curse."

"That mayor's office? Why in the world would she do that?"

"Well the mayor is supposed to be the Evil Queen that cast the curse against Snow White." Emma told him.

"I have to tell Mary Margaret. The mayor is not someone Ella should be around and neither should you." David said, knowing that their mayor wasn't the best person around. Regina Mills didn't take too kindly to Mary Margaret or him for that matter. She was always making life hard for Mary Margaret and Ella. If she found out that Ella was sneaking around her house or office, that could mean trouble for both of them.

"No, no, you can't or else Ella will know I told you!" Emma said in a panicked voice.

"Emma, I can't just let this go. I'll make sure that Ella doesn't know it was you I heard it from, but Mary Margaret needs to know about this." David told her.

"But…" Emma started in worry.

"I'm sorry, Emma, but this can't be helped. Now let's go eat dinner, it is about ready." David said as he put a hand on her back to guide her into the kitchen. He would call Mary Margaret a little later and let her know what was going on.

*****OUAT*****

"You're just mad because I screwed up in front of your new boyfriend!" Ella shouted at her mother in anger.

"You know that is not what this is about." Mary Margaret said quickly and firmly. "You took advantage of being with him to try and sneak out again."

Ella rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Don't roll your eyes at me!" Mary Margaret scolded getting frustrated with her daughter's behavior and attitude.

Ella did look a little sheepish at that, knowing that she was pushing her luck when she was on thin ice.

"Now where were you trying to go?" Mary Margaret asked after she took a few seconds to calm down.

"Nowhere." Ella snapped in anger.

"Watch your tone with me, young lady!" Mary Margaret countered with a stern, mama look.

Ella looked down with a wince at her mom's tone and look. She hadn't meant to snap, but she was tired of being asked where she was going.

"Now, David said you were trying to get proof for your theory…"

"It isn't a theory!" Ella yelled, but then found herself being turned and swatted on her backside before being turned to face her frustrated mother.

"You can stop yelling at me right this instant." Mary Margaret said firmly as she looked into her daughter's eyes. "Now, are you going to tell me where you were going or not?"

"No." Ella said with a pout at getting spanked.

"Well then you can march right up to your room and think about your behavior and attitude. I'll be up in a little while." Mary Margaret said firmly with a disappointed look on her face.

Ella rolled her eyes at getting sent to her room again, but it didn't go unnoticed by her mother who sighed and wondered what she had to do to get through to her daughter.

Mary Margaret started making dinner as she calmed down and tried to think of how she should deal with her daughter.

30 minutes later…

Mary Margaret was startled by her phone ringing. It had just been her thoughts and sounds of her cooking in the kitchen until it rang.

"Hello?" Mary Margaret answered.

" _Hey, Mary Margaret. I was just calling to let you know that I got a little out of Emma about where Ella has been going and I thought you should know." David started._

"Where has she been going?" Mary Margaret asked in surprise, but also worry.

" _Emma said that she has been sneaking around Mayor Mill's house and office looking for evidence for her theory." David told her._

"Oh my goodness. If Regina finds out, she will make our lives even harder than she already has. She hates me and in extension, she hates Ella." Mary Margaret worried.

" _Why does she hate you?" David asked in confusion. It was known that Mayor Mills had it out for Mary Margaret, but no one really knew why._

"I don't know. She has always hated me. When I decided to adopt Ella, she made it so my pay was cut so that I could hardly afford to keep her. Of course I made it work, but she has never made it easy for us." Mary Margaret explained.

" _That can't be alright. I mean she can't do that, right?"_

"That's what I thought, but she has everyone afraid of her and she somehow controls Mr. Gold. And you know that Mr. Gold controls and owns the town. There wasn't much I could do. My pay has gone up a little since then, but it has never gotten back up to where it was." Mary Margaret told him.

" _That's terrible." David said, having not known about any of this._

"It's like she doesn't want me to happy, but she doesn't realize that Ella makes me happy and I would do anything to keep her." Mary Margaret explained lovingly.

" _I know what you mean. I feel the same about Emma." David said warmly. He felt terrible though for Mary Margaret. She shouldn't have to deal with all that. Neither should Ella._

"I have to figure out what to do with Ella. She really can't be sneaking around Regina's. She shouldn't be sneaking off at all!" Mary Margaret said in worry.

" _I know. I tried to talk to her, but it didn't seem to convince her of anything." David replied._

"I know and she is already grounded until I tell her otherwise. I got sick of her sneaking off and just told her until I could trust her that she was grounded."

" _I would have done the same thing. Where is she now?"_

"In her room. I sent her up after she kept yelling at me and giving me attitude. I half-tempted to just give her a good spanking for both her attitude and her behavior." Mary Margaret said.

" _Maybe you should then." David said._

"I just might. Lecturing her and grounding her doesn't seem to be working." Mary Margaret said with a sigh.

" _Well you know what is best. I'm sure you'll know what to do to set her right." David encouraged her._

"I hope so. I feel like I am failing as a mother right now." Mary Margaret replied.

" _You aren't. You and Ella are just going through a tough patch. You'll both get through it and whatever you need I'll be here." David told her._

"Thanks, that means a lot." Mary Margaret said with a smile that David couldn't see. It was nice to be able to talk to another adult about this. She went for so long dealing with these issues without being able to discuss it with anyone besides Granny and Ruby. It almost felt like David was her husband or could be someday.

" _It's no problem, I would do anything for you and your daughter." David replied kindly. "You know, we need to have another date soon…." David added._

"Oh really?" Mary Margaret asked in a flirty voice.

" _Yes, I had a lot of fun at our last date." David answered._

"Me too." Mary Margaret answered with a grin. "However, I am not sure when we will be able to go out again unless I can get a babysitter for my little escape artist."

 _David chuckled. "Maybe you could get Ruby or better yet Granny? She could sit on her while we are gone."_

Mary Margaret laughed. "Yes, that should keep her from escaping again."

" _Maybe Ruby or Granny will be free sometime this weekend to watch both our girls so we could out for a little bit." David said hopefully._

"We could try. I could use sometime away from all this." Mary Margaret replied.

" _Good." David said happily before they talked a little more about their potential date._

After about 15 minutes of talking, Mary Margaret realized she needed to go deal with her daughter and then get dinner finished, "Well, I guess I should let you go so I can deal with Ella."

" _Of course. It was good to talk to you again. If you need to talk again after you deal with her, don't hesitate to call me." David told her seriously._

"Thank you, I think I might just do that." Mary Margaret answered, quite touched by his offer to talk later if she needed it.

" _I hope you do. Talk to you later, Mary." David said kindly._

"Bye David." Mary Margaret replied.

*****OUAT*****

Ella had been pacing upstairs, as she waited anxiously for her mom to come up. She had heard her talking downstairs and realized she was talking on the phone. She was talking to whoever it was for at least a half an hour. She then realized who she was talking to. David. She groaned and she was probably talking about her.

Ella rolled her eyes. She wanted them to get closer, but she didn't like her mom talking to him about her when she was in trouble. She didn't think that it was fair that her mom was discussing her punishment with him.

She plopped down on the bed and thought of how she could get to the mines. She hadn't even known they had mines until she found them on an old map in the library. They were under the town and she knew there had to be something hidden down there that would prove that the curse was real. She just knew something would be there. She just needed to get there.

She also hadn't given up on seeing what she could find sneaking around the Evil Queen's house. She had to have a secret lair or somewhere that she kept things from the Enchanted Forest. She knew she wouldn't have come over without bringing things with her.

"Ella. Are you ready to talk?" Mary Margaret asked as she came into Ella's room.

Ella rolled her eyes which didn't go unnoticed by Mary Margaret. She didn't answer or get up from the bed.

"Ella, I asked you a question." Mary Margaret said firmly.

Ella rolled her eyes again. "There isn't anything to talk about." Ella responded with attitude.

"Yes there is. First of all, your attitude needs to change. You have been very disrespectful to me and I'm not going to continue to let you get away with it. Second of all, you need to stop sneaking around and sneaking off. I know that you have been sneaking around the Mayor's house and office. And that cannot happen again. You know how she feels about me and you. If she found out you thought she was the Evil Queen and were sneaking around her house, I don't know what she would do, but it wouldn't be good for us."

"How'd you find that out?" Ella asked as she sat up with a frown.

"That doesn't matter. All that matters is that you stop trying to sneak off and that you stay away from Mayor Mills." Mary Margaret told her firmly.

"But I have to find proof or else Emma will never believe me and we will never defeat her, we will never break the curse!"

"She isn't the Evil Queen and I don't want you going around her. You never know what she would do to us." Mary Margaret said with a fearful look.

"Why don't you just stand up to her for once?!" Ella yelled in frustration at her mom, not really thinking about what she was saying or that she might her mom's feelings. "You let her have so much power over you. Maybe if you just had a backbone and stood up to her we wouldn't have to struggle so much!"

Mary Margaret looked at her with a hurt look. "How dare you say that? You know what it is like here and how much I have done to make sure you had a good life. I don't deserve to be treated this way by you." Mary Margaret said in a hurt voice.

Ella winced. She felt terrible now. She hadn't meant to hurt her mom like that. She just was frustrated and it felt like her mom never stood up for herself. She figured it was the curse that kept her mom down and kept her from fighting Regina, but she just wished that her mom would fight back like Snow White would have done. Mary Margaret was a lot more timid, even though lately she seemed to be a more confident then she had ever been.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean it like that…" Ella tried to apologize.

"Thank you for saying your sorry, but you really should be thinking before you talk. Now, are you going to stay away from Mayor Mills and stop sneaking out every chance you get?"

Ella grimaced. She wasn't going to stop, but she couldn't tell her mom that so she would have to lie. "Yes. I'll stop." Ella said in the best defeated voice she could.

"Good because I couldn't stand for anything to happened to you." Mary Margaret said, but not fully believing her. It was hard when she had already snuck out five times and those were only the times she knew of. She didn't trust her daughter to tell the truth or to stop sneaking out. She hoped, but she didn't fully believe that she was telling the truth.

"Nothing is going to happen to me." Ella told her Mom kindly. "Are we done now?" Ella asked after a moment.

"No. Although, I like hearing that you are going to stop sneaking out, but that doesn't mean I trust you. You have lost my trust so you won't be alone ever. If you aren't at school or with me, you will be with a trusted adult. You are already grounded until I can start to trust you again with no allowance and extra chores, but that doesn't seem to be deterring you from sneaking out."

Ella knew what she was going to do and she wasn't very happy with it. She thought she was too old for getting spankings. This would be the second one lately. It had deterred her from sneaking out for a little bit.

"Mom, I'm too old for that!" Ella whined as she scooted back on her bed, away from her mom.

"You haven't been acting like it. You have been very disrespectful and irresponsible. Maybe a good spanking will help you realize that I am serious about your safety and I won't stand for the disrespect you have shown be. Not to mention that you were disrespectful to David." Mary Margaret told her as she walked up to Ella and took her hand to pull her up from the bed.

"No, Mom. This isn't fair!" Ella yelled at her mom.

Mary Margaret pulled Ella over her lap. "Fair would be you not sneaking off and leaving me worrying to where you have been. Fair would be you treating me with respect."

Mary Margaret continued to spank her daughter, but it didn't last long. Mary Margaret just wanted to get her point across and after a handful of hard swats she figured she had done that.

Mary Margaret righted her daughter and looked her in the eyes. "Now, I expect better out of you, young lady. No more sneaking off and no more sneaking around Mayor Mills. Understand?"

"Yes, Mom. I am sorry for everything." Ella replied through her tears.

"Good girl. I love you and your forgiven, baby girl." Mary Margaret said as she pulled her into a hug.

Ella cried and let her mom hold her for a few moments.

Mary Margaret pulled Ella from her gently and wiped away her tears. "Now, you clean yourself up and meet me downstairs. Dinner is just about ready."

Ella nodded, feeling a bit better knowing she was forgiven and she could start fresh again. She still felt bad though for the things she said to her mom. She felt worse that she still was thinking of how to sneak off to the mines.

*****OUAT*****

Ella did do better for the next week, even when David and Mary Margaret went on their next date and left them with Ruby, she managed to not sneak off, but she was itching to get to the mine to explore it.

By the next Wednesday, when David was taking Ella again when Mary Margaret had her meeting, Ella decided to try again. It wasn't the best idea, but she just needed to see what she could find there.

"Ok. I have to go." Ella whispered to Emma as soon as David left the room.

"Ella. No. You can't. I've been telling you all day this is a very bad idea, just like it was last week when you tried and got caught." Emma whispered seriously to her.

"I know, but I have to and you should come with me. Then if I find anything you will already be there." Ella argued.

"Oh my goodness, Ella. What is wrong with you? You are too old to believe in fairytales! Stop this ridiculous mission of yours! It isn't real! And I will NEVER believe you! You are crazy!" Emma whispered shouted at Ella in frustration and anger. It had been building up all week since Ella had been none stop talking about her theory and trying to get her to believe her.

Ella stood up and grabbed her bag as she blinked back tears. "Fine." Ella said quietly before sneaking out of the building, tears streaming down her face as she did.

Emma closed her eyes and realized that she just pushed Ella into leaving instead of getting her to stay. She had to go after her. _Why did I call her crazy? I know I think her theory is crazy, but I should have never told her that she was crazy. She was trying not to cry. I am a terrible friend. I have to go make this right…_

Emma quickly got up and snuck off to go find Ella.

15 minutes later…

"Girls…" David started until he saw that both girls were not in the station. "Emma? Ella?" David called as he went over to the bathroom, hoping they were just in there. He opened the door to see that they weren't there.

"Oh no…" David said before heading to his office to get his keys and jacket.

*****OUAT*****

At the mine entrance, Ella is about to go in.

"Ella!" Emma yelled from 30 feet from her.

Ella turned to look at her before walking into the mine. Emma ran down the hill and into the mine after her. What they didn't see was that Sean, one of David's friends had seen Emma running towards the mine. Sean dialed up David's number and let him know where his daughter was.

It wasn't long until there was a loud rumble as rocks and timber came crashing down in the mine as dust came out of the mine.

 **More to come! Thanks for reading!**


	11. Cave in

**A/N: Here is another chapter! Thanks for all the reviews! I love hearing for all of you! Enjoy!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 11: Cave in**

"Ella?" Emma called from where she was laying on the mine floor. She had been knocked down and knocked out from the cave in. "Ella? Are you okay?" She had no idea how long she had been out.

When no reply came, she tried to adjust her eyes to see in the dark cave. She could only make out rocks, many rocks. She didn't see a sign of Ella anywhere. She had only been a few feet from her when the cave in started. She couldn't be far.

Emma tried to get up, only to realize that her arm was pinned down under a good size rock. She whimpered in pain as she felt the pain that was coming from her body. She didn't realize she had hurt more than her head until now. She felt like she had been run over by truck or something.

 _This isn't good. No one knows we are here and I am stuck. Who knows how Ella is doing. I only hope she isn't as stuck as I am. Maybe I can get my arm out of here._ Emma thought before trying to pull her arm out from beneath the rock. She grimaced as it just made her arm hurt more. She couldn't get it out. She looked around and realized that she was trapped not only under the rock, but also in the mine. It looked like the entrance was closed off. She started to panic as she realized that there was no way out.

*****OUAT*****

 _Ugh why does my head hurt? My bed is so hard and I'm so cold, where did my blankets go? What's going on?_ Ella's eyes popped opened and she looked around a pitch dark place. She tried to get up, but she was stuck where she was. She felt like something was against her chest causing her lungs to feel tight.

 _What is going on? Where am I? Why can't I move?_ Ella thought as she struggled against whatever was keeping her down. She groaned in pain as she moved her leg and pain shot up from her knee. The pain was so bad that she passed out from it.

*****OUAT*****

"What? By the mine?" David asked in confusion. Why would she be by the mine? "Thank you, I'll head that way."

David hung up and drove off towards the mines. When he got there, the dust was settling. "No! Emma? Ella?" David called as he started into the mine, but then saw quickly that he'd have to get help to get the girls out. He ran out of the mine and dialed up Sean again.

"There was a cave in and the girls are trapped inside."

" _More than one? I thought it was just Emma?" Sean said in confusion._

"Ella was with her too." David told him as he ran a hand through his hair in worry for the girls.

"Oh my goodness. You need help getting them out?" Sean asked.

"Yes. Would you mind gathering up some help and meeting me here?" David asked.

"Of course." Sean said. "We will get there as soon as we can."

David hung up and called Mary Margaret. He left a message for Mary Margaret letting her know about the situation. David hung up and called a couple more people to come and help him get the girls out before heading back into the mine to start moving the rocks to get to the girls.

David worked for a good 30 minutes before breaking through to see there was a break in the rocks. That's when he saw one of the girls. He carefully went over to see it was Emma. "Emma!" David called to her as he knelt down beside her.

"Dad…" Emma breathed in relief and awe that he found her.

"Hey sweetie, I am here." David said as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I am going to get you out of here." David told her softly as he looked her over and found that her arm was stuck under a big rock.

"Don't know…where Ella is…" Emma tried to tell him, but was out of breath and having a hard time keeping her eyes open.

"I'll find her. Now, I am going to pick this rock up and I want you to try to move your arm out from under it, okay?" David asked.

"I'll try." Emma said with a grimace at the thought of moving her arm.

"Good girl." David said softly at his brave girl. "On the count of three, try to pull your arm out okay?"

"Ok." Emma told him.

"One. Two. Three." David picked up the rock. He could tell Emma was trying to pull her arm out, but wasn't quite clearing it from the rock so he had to move it despite its weight. He got it on the other side of her, but clear of her. However, when it landed it started to roll and hit the wall causing the cave to start to rumble.

"Dad?" Emma asked in panic as she heard the noise.

"It's alright." David said quickly before he leaned down and sheltered Emma in case another cave in started. Dust came down around them and only a few rocks fell, but none of them hit them thankfully. "We're okay…" David paused when he heard coughing, but it wasn't coming from Emma or himself. _Ella._

"Dad…is that Ella?" Emma asked, but was out of breath from the pain and the fear of another cave in.

"I think so. Just hold on a second and I am going to see if I can get to her. I'll be right back." David told her as he framed her face with one of his hands.

Emma nodded with a wince. She didn't want him to leave her, but she also was worried about Ella.

David smiled softly at her before standing up and starting to where he heard Ella's cough. "Ella?" David said softly before seeing a shoe stick up in a pile of rocks. His heart sunk down in his throat before he quickly made his way over to her. When he saw the boulder that was pinning her to the ground, he grimaced and quickly knelt down to see if she was conscious. "Ella?"

She opened her eyes slowly and coughed a little more, but she looked like it was causing her pain. "Da.." Ella started. David presumed she was trying to say his name, but in fact she almost said Dad, but she started to cough again.

"Shh…I'm here." David told her as he smoothed the hair on her head in a soothing manner.

"Can't…. move…" Ella told him through shaky breaths.

"I'll get you out, but I have to get Emma out and get help to get this off you." David told her.

Ella looked up at him in panic. "Don't leave…please…don't.."

"Shh…sweetie." David said, feeling terrible at having to leave her. He kissed her forehead. "Can you be brave for me, honey?"

Ella nodded through her tears.

"Good girl." David said, but then realized how cold it was in the cave. He took off his coat and covered her with it. "Now, I'll be right back."

Ella's face scrunched up like she was about to cry, but trying to stay strong. David wished he didn't need to leave her alone, but he needed to get Emma out of there and see if help had come to help him get Ella out. He was very worried about her injuries being under the boulder and all the rocks.

He left Ella reluctantly and went back to Emma. "Alright, let's get you out of here." David said as he carefully picked her arm up to set it on her chest to keep it from getting jostled. He then picked her up as carefully as he could, being careful not to jostle her too much. He didn't know what injuries she might have other than her arm.

Emma whined at being moved.

"I'm sorry, honey." David told her softly as he started to head out of the mine.

When he got out, he saw that people were arriving to help. He also saw Mary Margaret and was relieved.

"David! David! Is she alright?" Mary Margaret asked in panic as she saw Emma.

"She will be." David said before setting her down on the ground. "Could you stay with her while I go back in?"

"Did you find Ella? Is she alright?" Mary Margaret asked in panic as she sat beside Emma, lifting her head so it was in her lap.

"I found her, but she is under quite a bit of rocks. I need help to get her out, but she is conscious." David told her slowly. He didn't want to worry her or Emma, but it didn't look good. He was very worried about her. "Can you call 911? We will need an ambulance to take them to the hospital."

"Of course." Mary Margaret answered, but she could tell that David was worried about Ella.

David looked down at Emma and smiled. "I'll be back, sweetie."

David then grabbed the men that came to help and led them into the mine to where Ella was.

Ella had been waiting for him to come back, hoping that there wouldn't be another cave in while he was gone. Whenever the cave made a sound, she was worried that it was going to come down on her again and he wouldn't make it back to her in time.

She was trying to be brave for him, but she was having a hard time. If another cave in happened, she could die or be trapped until she died. They may never find her if it happened. She closed her eyes tightly as she hoped he'd come back soon.

"Ella? Ella, sweetie, I'm back." David said as he knelt down beside her and realized she had been crying. She opened her eyes and looked at David with relief in her eyes. "Let's get you out of here. I brought some help with me." David said as he looked over at Sean, Leroy, Walter, and a two other men from town.

They started to work at getting her uncovered, but left the boulder for last.

"I'll pull her out when you guys lift it up." David said getting ready to pull Ella out from under the boulder as quickly and carefully as he could. "Ok, Ella. This may hurt, but we need to get you out from under there, okay?"

"Ok." Ella said, but looked scared. She was already hurting from all the rocks they moved off her.

David nodded to the men.

"On three. One, two, three." Sean said and on three they left and David pulled Ella out as quickly as he could. Ella groaned in pain and almost passed out again.

"Shh. It's done, now." David said as he held her carefully in his arms as the men set the boulder down.

David carried her out as carefully as he could. When he got there he saw two ambulances. Emma was being loaded up in one of them as Mary Margaret was watching them.

Two paramedics came up to him with a stretcher and he carefully laid Ella on it.

Ella started to panic when she was set down. "Don't leave me…" Ella cried out.

"I'm not leaving, I'm right here." David told her as he took one of her hands gently into his own.

Ella was freaking out at the two paramedics started to strap her onto the stretcher. She didn't want to go to the hospital. She knew that they would poke and prod at her until they figured out what all was wrong with her. She didn't want to go through all that pain. She was hurting enough right now.

"Ella!" Mary Margaret yelled as she ran over to her daughter. "Are you okay, baby?"

"Fine, mommy." Ella muttered out of habit and David shook his head. Out of all the times, she said she was fine she said it right now? She was so far from fine it was almost funny she was saying that she was fine!

"You are not." Mary Margaret said before kissing her forehead before looking at David. "Thank you so much for getting her out."

"No thanks needed." David said sincerely.

"Emma wanted me to ride with her, but…." Mary Margaret said feeling rather torn. She wanted to be there for both girls, but she really needed to be with her daughter.

"It's alright. I'll ride with her, she'll understand." David said and started to let go of Ella's hand, but as he did Ella gasped and tried to grab on to it again.

"Don't go…" Ella tried.

David felt so torn between both Ella and Emma, just like Mary Margaret, but in the end he needed to be with his daughter, just like Mary Margaret needed to be with her daughter.

"Sweetie, David needs to go stay with his daughter. I'm staying with you, baby." Mary Margaret told her daughter gently.

Ella wanted to tell them that she was his daughter too, but that was too many words and she didn't have the energy to get it all out. She also knew that someone needed to be with Emma, but she just wished they could both stay with her. She needed them, but so did Emma.

"I'll come check on you later, Ella." David told her as he touched her check gently before heading off to get into the ambulance Emma was in. He knew that she would be freaking out by now.

"Em?" David said softly as he got up and saw her looking anxiously at the inside of the ambulance. When she looked at him, she settled some.

"Where's Mary Margaret?" Emma asked in confusion. She wanted them both there with her.

"She's with Ella, honey." David told her softly. "But I'm here now."

Emma nodded, but wished that they could both be there with her. She didn't know why, but she felt the need to have both of them. She knew Mary Margaret wasn't her mom and David was only her foster dad, but she felt safer with both of them or at least better with one of them.

"You will see her later. She has to stay with Ella right now." David told her gently seeing the sad look in her eyes. The same look that he saw in Ella's eyes. For some reason, they both wanted both of them, as if they were a family already. It felt like they were in some ways and he hoped one day they would be, but they weren't to that point just yet.

Once both girls were loaded on the ambulances with their parents, the ambulances rushed off towards the hospital.

 **Hope you liked this chapter! :)**


	12. Guilt

**Another one before the years ends…**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 12: Guilt**

"How's Emma?" Mary Margaret asked as she saw David come out of one of the cubicles.

"I'm not sure, they haven't examined her yet. They are helping her get changed into a gown. How's Ella?"

"I don't know. They rushed her off to surgery as soon as we got here. I've been waiting for them to update me on how she's doing." Mary Margaret said, looking very worried.

David frowned in worry at hearing she was in surgery. "I'm sure she will be fine."

"What happened anyway? Why were they there?" Mary Margaret asked.

"I'm not exactly sure, but I came out of my office and they were both gone. I went to look for them and got a call from Sean saying he saw Emma going into the mine. When I got there, the cave in had already happened." David told her.

"Ella snuck off and Emma followed her." Mary Margaret said with a sigh.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking." David said, he couldn't help, but be a little frustrated with Ella for being the reason for everything happening. He was worried about her and cared about her, but he was disappointed in her behavior.

Mary Margaret could tell he was frustrated with Ella and was about to say she was sorry for her daughter's actions causing Emma to get hurt, but then David got called into Emma's cubicle.

"Hey Em." David said as he went back into the cubicle to see Emma looking rather upset and panicked as she looked at the nurse who was in her cubicle. She relaxed some when she saw him. He sat down on the edge of the bed by her. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Emma mumbled quietly as she eyed the nurse wearily.

"Now how about the truth?" David said with a smile.

Emma rolled her eyes as she leant against David. "I guess I am not feeling the greatest."

David put an arm around her. "So why were you and Ella at the mines?"

Emma bit her lip. "Ella wanted to go. I tried to convince her to stay, but she left anyway. I wasn't very nice to her and I wanted to apologize so I went after her."

"Why did she wanted to go to the mine?" David asked.

"She thought there'd be proof of the curse there. She's trying to convince me of the curse."

David sighed. "Maybe you need to talk to her about how you feel. I'm sure she would understand and back off about her curse theory."

"I don't know, maybe. I just don't want her feelings to be hurt anymore than I have already." Emma told him.

David nodded in understanding.

"Am I in trouble for sneaking out?" Emma asked as her dad was lost in his own thoughts.

David chuckled. "I think that breaking your arm and having to be in the hospital is punishment enough this time." David said seriously.

Emma bit her lip from smiling. She was definitely okay with that. She then frowned. "Is Ella okay?"

"She's in surgery right now." David said softly.

"But will she be okay?" Emma asked with a fearful look for her friend.

"I hope so, honey." David said softly.

*****OUAT*****

Four hours later (Around 10 pm)…

Mary Margaret sat in the chair by Ella's bed waiting for her to wake up. When Ella started to groan, Mary Margaret jumped out of her seat. "Ella?" She called to her softly.

"M..mommy?" Ella whined as she came to.

Mary Margaret started to stroke Ella's cheek. "I'm here, baby." She told her softly.

"Hurts…." Ella whined as she moved her head side to side.

"I know, baby." Mary Margaret said softly. She had meds in her, but they said that they couldn't get her another dose just yet. She had a cast that started just below her knee and went to just above her toes. Her knee had been severely sprained and was wrapped up. She had both broken and bruised ribs. She had bruises over a majority of her body. She had a concussion with a big bruise on the corner of her head and a bump on the back of her head. She had gone into surgery for internal bleeding, but they believed that they had taken care of that. They were now worried about the amount of ribs she had broken, it was harder for her to breath without the support of her ribs.

"Why don't you try to get some rest? I'll be here when you wake." Mary Margaret said when Ella's eyes started to droop close.

"'Tay." Ella mumbled tiredly before closing her eyes and falling asleep fast.

Mary Margaret kissed her forehead before once again sitting back in her chair.

*****OUAT*****

"Do you think Mary Margaret would help me with my hair?" Emma asked David the next morning. Both Emma and Ella had both been admitted to the hospital the night before. Ella would have to be there longer than Emma, but for now they were both in the hospital. They weren't in the same room, however. They were one room apart. Emma was in 307 and Ella was in room 305.

"I can ask her for you. I'm sure she would." David said with a soft smile at her. "I'll be right back."

David headed over to Ella's room. He hadn't seen her since they got her into the ambulance. He walked into the room to see Mary Margaret sitting on the edge of Ella's bed laughing with her.

He frowned as he saw Ella's cast and bandages. She looked very fragile sitting in her bed.

"Hey, Emma was wondering if you would do her hair?" David said softly.

Ella looked up at him with bright eyes, happy to see him.

"Sure." Mary Margaret said with a kind smile before looking back to Ella. "I'll be right back, honey."

David came over to Ella's bed and sat down. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Ella said quickly, without thinking about it.

"You and Emma are always fine, even in the hospital." David said with a kind smile.

Ella rolled her eyes. "Ok, maybe I'm not fine."

David smiled and then looked down for a second. "What were you thinking going into the mine?" He asked softly without anger, just concerned for her and Emma.

Ella looked down in embarrassment. "I needed to find proof and I saw that the mines run under the city. I figured something would be down there. I am sorry that Emma got hurt. I really didn't mean for her to get hurt."

David sighed softly before tucking some of Ella's hair behind her ear. "It wasn't your fault that Emma got hurt, I know that. You had no idea that the mine would cave in. But didn't you think of how dangerous it could be to go into a mine before you went in?" David asked her kindly.

Ella looked up at him with sheepish look. "I didn't think about it."

David looked at her with a mixture of sadness and disappointment as well as concern. "Please start to think about things before you do them. Your mother, myself, and Emma don't want to lose you or see you hurt." He had been worried about both of the girls. When he first saw Ella under all those rocks, he didn't know if she would make it through it. It had really scared him.

Ella blinked back tears at hearing he actually cared about her. She knew it, but it was another thing to hear it.

"I know. I'm sorry." Ella said softly as her eyes watered up.

"Thank you for saying sorry. I'm just worried about you, kid. You scared me yesterday when I saw you under all those rocks. I just hate to see you hurt." David told her softly before hugging her carefully.

"I'm sorry." Ella cried.

"Shh, It's okay. I forgive you and you are both going to be just fine now." David reassured her.

*****OUAT*****

"Hey sweetheart, you need help with your hair?" Mary Margaret asked kindly.

"Yeah, would you mind?" Emma asked with a shy smile.

"Of course not. What do you want?" Mary Margaret asked.

Emma decided on one braid that came to the side of her head and rested on her shoulder.

As Mary Margaret got started on Emma's hair to began to wonder what injuries Emma had. "How are you feeling, honey?"

"Fine." Emma answered,

"Just fine?" Mary Margaret said with chuckle. "You are in the hospital, honey, I don't think you are just fine."

Emma smiled sheepishly. "I know, but I'm going to be fine."

"Good, sweetie." Mary Margaret said with a smile.

"How's Ella?" Emma asked in worry.

"She's okay, but she will be here for a while." Mary Margaret answered softly.

"I was worried about her." Emma looked down, looking at bit sheepish for a moment. She never did get to apologize to her for calling her crazy. She still felt terrible about that.

"She was worried about you too." Mary Margaret said as she finished her hair. "There, all finished."

"Thanks, Mary Margaret." Emma said with a smile.

"No problem, honey." Mary Margaret said with a kind smile. "Well I better get back to Ella now."

"Will you come back and visit?" Emma asked, wishing she could stay with her.

"If you want, I will." Mary Margaret said with a smile.

"Good." Emma said with a smile.

*****OUAT*****

"I'll see you later, honey." David said with a smile.

Ella nodded, but was looking tired.

"Get some rest." David said as Mary Margaret came into the room.

David walked over to Mary Margaret and kissed the side of her face. "I'll see you in a little bit."

Mary Margaret nodded with a smile. She was glad that he was there as well.

David started towards the door, but then Mary Margaret called him, "David, wait." David frowned and stopped to turn back to her.

Mary Margaret came over to him. "Is Emma alright?" She asked in worry.

"Yeah, she broke her arm in two places and has a lot of bruises. She has a concussion too. They are keeping her for observation for now." David told her.

"Poor girl. I'm sorry she got hurt because Ella decided to go in that mine."

"She didn't know it would collapse on them." David said softly. "It's okay."

"It's not okay, but thanks for being so good with this and thanks for saving them." Mary Margaret said sincerely.

"It's no problem. I am sorry I didn't catch them sooner." David said looking a bit guilty. He had been kicking himself for not keeping a better eye on them.

"Hey, don't blame yourself for this. They knew better than to leave the station. It wasn't your fault this happen." Mary Margaret assured him.

"Thanks." David said, but he still blamed himself at least a little for what happened.

Mary Margaret got up on her tippy toes and kissed David's cheek. "See you later."

David left with a smile and Mary Margaret headed back into Ella's room.

Ella was looking sleepy as she laid in her hospital bed. She had been thinking about what she talked to David about and knew she shouldn't have gone in the mine. It accomplished nothing and got both herself and Emma hurt. She felt bad about it all.

Ella looked up as her mom sat down on her bed. "Mom, I'm sorry for everything. I shouldn't have gone in that mine."

"No, you shouldn't have." Mary Margaret said softly.

"I'm sorry I caused you so much worry and I got Emma hurt. I didn't know the mine would cave in. I'm sorry it was all my fault." Ella said as tears started to fall down her face from the guilt she was feeling.

"Hey, I know you made a mistake by sneaking out and going in the mine, but it wasn't your fault that the mine collapsed, okay?"

Ella nodded.

"Now you said you are sorry and I forgive you. Now, it is time to move on, forgive yourself, and learn from this." Mary Margaret said as she held her daughter's face.

"Okay." Ella said, but was crying still.

Mary Margaret brought her in for a hug and until she seemed to settle. When she did, Mary Margaret noticed that she was ready for a nap and more meds.

"Alright sweetheart, it's time for you to get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up again." Mary Margaret said as she pushed the PCA pump for her daughter.

Ella nodded, feeling extremely worn out by now and ready to sleep.

"Sleep sweetheart." Mary Margaret said before kissing her forehead. "I love you."

 **Thanks for Reading!**

 **Oh and I have written up to when the curse breaks so the chapters will come out a little faster than normal! I know a lot of you are excited for when the curse is broken and the Charmings can be a real family! :) Thanks for being patient with me!**


	13. Hospital Stay

**Happy New Year! Here's another one! :)**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 13: Hospital Stay**

A day later (7:30am)...

David came into Ella's room with something behind his back.

"Hey, Emma's going to be discharged sometime today. How much longer does Ella have to be here?" David asked, looking over at Ella.

"We don't know yet." Mary Margaret said, but was looking curiously at David holding his arm behind his back.

"I just came to visit and say hi." David said with a smile. "And Emma wanted to see if you would go visit her."

"Of course." Mary Margaret said with a smile.

Mary Margaret left the room and David came farther into the room to visit Ella.

"Hey sweetie." David said with a smile.

"Hey David." Ella said with a shy smile.

"I have something for you." David said as he pulled his arm out from behind his back to reveal a brown bear with a purple ribbon around its neck.

"For me?" Ella asked with a surprised look as David handed it to her.

"Yeah. I thought you might need a friend in here." David said with a smile.

"Thanks." Ella said with bright eyes.

David sat down on the edge of her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Ella responded quickly as she looked down at the bear.

David smirked, that was the same response he got from Emma all the time. "You're fine? You sound like Emma." David said with a chuckle.

"I am. I should be able to go home too, but Dr. Whale won't let me go." Ella said with a frown as she fiddled with the bear in her hands.

David smiled at her believing she was fine. Just looking at her, you could tell she was anything, but fine. "Well you just listen to the doctor and stay in bed, no sneaking off okay?"

"It's not like I can go anywhere. I am kind of stuck." Ella said looking down at her leg.

David chuckled. "Maybe that's a good thing."

Ella smiled sheepishly and shifted in bed at the same time. She winced as she moved because it bothered her ribs.

"What's wrong?" David asked in worry at seeing her wince, just then Mary Margaret walked in to hear him.

"It's her ribs. She broke 2 of them and bruised at least 4 of the rest. She probably needs more of her meds." Mary Margaret said as started to the bed to push the PCA pump that would give Ella more pain medicine.

"Mom, no, I don't need more." Ella said as she tried to prevent her mom from getting the button.

"Ella, you do need more." Mary Margaret said as she got to Ella.

"But it will make me tired again." Ella said with a pout.

"Well you do need your rest." Mary Margaret said softly as she held her hand out for the button.

Ella looked at her mom's hand and then glanced over at David before pulling out the button. She started to hand it to her mom before pulling it back to her. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, now give it to me." Mary Margaret said firmly.

Ella gave it to her reluctantly.

Mary Margaret pushed it once and then pushed it again. Ella's eyes widened.

"Mom!" Ella whined.

Mary Margaret smiled softly. "Come on, we need to get you laying down."

Ella frowned, starting to get sleepy. "Why'd you push it twice?" Ella muttered grumpily.

Mary Margaret and David exchanged an amused look at her complaining.

"Hush, honey." Mary Margaret said as Ella clutched her teddy bear that David gave her. "Sleep baby."

"Can I go home when I wake up?" Ella asked as she looked up at her mom.

"You aren't ready to go home yet." Mary Margaret said as she covered her up with the blankets.

"Emma gets to go…" Ella muttered.

"You aren't Emma, baby. Dr. Whale hasn't cleared you to go home." Mary Margaret said softly. "Now close your eyes, it's time to sleep now. Love you, Ella."

"Love you, mommy." Ella said as her eyes closed and she drifted to sleep.

"She likes pain medicine as much as Emma." David said quietly with a chuckle.

"Yeah, she never pushes the button." Mary Margaret said and then pointed to the bear her daughter was holding tightly in her sleep. "You gave her the bear?"

"I figured she could use a friend. I got a similar one for Emma." David said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Well I'm sure she really appreciates it. I haven't been able to give her all the toys and things that she has wanted with my salary so I'm sure she'll treasure it."

David nodded in understanding.

"I guess I better get back to Emma before she leaves without me."

"Yeah, she seemed ready to go when I was in there."

"I don't want to burst her bubble, but she probably won't get discharged until after lunch." David said with a grimace.

"Oh good luck with that." Mary Margaret said with a chuckle.

"I'm going to need it." David said seriously and Mary Margaret just grinned, but then Ella groaned in her sleep which shifted both of their attentions to her.

"She's in a lot of pain. I wish I could take it all way." Mary Margaret said softly as she stroked Ella's cheek.

"I know." David said. "I feel the same way with Emma." David said, but was also feeling the same with Ella as well. He didn't like seeing her in pain either.

Mary Margaret nodded as she looked down at her daughter.

"Hey is there anything you need? If you needed to go home, I could keep an eye on her." David said after a few minutes.

"Well she should sleep for a good while and I do need to go home to get a few more things. You wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not. I'll just need to go in between their rooms." David said.

"Ok that would be great. I'll leave now so that she will probably be asleep most of the time." Mary Margaret said as she grabbed a few things and her purse before kissing Ella's head.

She then looked over at David with a worried look. "Are you sure your okay with this?"

David smiled, "yes. I don't mind."

"Ok. Thank you." Mary Margaret said as she started to the door and gave him a quick kiss as she passed.

"I'm going to miss you while you are gone." David said with a charming smile.

Mary Margaret chuckled as she looked back at him, but didn't respond. She then continued leaving with a grin on her face.

David turned to look back into the room to see that Ella seemed to be sleeping soundly. He then headed over to let the nurses know he was watching her with Mary Margaret gone. If Ella would need anything they could get him.

He then started back to Emma's room, but as he did Emma came out of the room looking behind her shoulder.

"What do you think you are doing?" David asked, startling her.

She jumped and looked at him in surprise before a stubborn look came on her face. "I'm going home."

"Emma, you have to wait to be discharged." David said as he came up and started to guide her back into her room.

"But they are taking forever!" Emma whined.

"Well it is going to take a little while." David said as he got her in bed. "Why don't you take a nap while we wait? You still need your rest."

"No." Emma whined.

"No? Why honey?" David asked as he sat on the edge of her bed.

"I just don't like sleeping here." Emma told him with a frown.

David frowned too and lightly stroked her face. "Have you been having bad dreams?"

Emma looked down and nodded.

David smiled sadly at her. "Do you want to tell me about them?"

Emma shook her head no.

"It might help." David said softly as he ran a hand down her head.

"I just don't have good memories in hospitals." Emma told him with sad eyes.

"Oh. I'm sorry, sweetie." David said kindly.

"So can we leave then?" Emma asked hopefully.

"Yes." David started and Emma looked hopeful at him. "When you are discharged." David finished with a smile.

Emma scowled. "But Dad they're taking forever." Emma whined.

David gave her a sympathetic look. "Why don't I read to you for a little bit? It might help the time go by faster." David said as he picked up the book he had been reading to her while she had been in the hospital.

"I guess." Emma said as she relaxed a little at not having to go to sleep.

David pulled her blanket up a little so that it was covering her shoulders before sitting back in his chair and starting to read from where they left off.

After a chapter and half, David noticed that Emma had closed her eyes. He finished reading the chapter just in case she was still awake before closing the book and kissing her forehead.

*****OUAT*****

9:15am

"Um Mr. Nolan?" a nurse popped into the room and David looked up from his chair by Emma's bed. "Do you think you could help us with Ella?"

"Um sure." David said quietly as he got up from his chair to come to the door. "Is something wrong?" David asked worriedly.

"She woke up in a bit of a panic and we can't get her to calm down. She is having a hard time breathing so they tried to put an oxygen mask on her, but then she started to fight them causing her panic attack to continue. We need help to calm her down."

David nodded as they got to the room and he saw Ella struggling to get away from the nurses and the on call doctor. He walked over to the bed and they made room for him to go to the head of the bed by Ella. "Ella, sweetie." David said softly as he put a hand on her head.

Ella looked up at him as he spoke to her. She was having trouble breathing and her eyes were full of panic and fear. When she realized who it was, she reached over and hugged him.

David smiled softly as he put a hand on her head. "Shh. It's okay, Ella."

"Can't…breathe." Ella told him in a panicked voice.

"Try to relax, Ella, just breathe in and breathe out for me. You are going to be just fine." David started to coach her as he rubbed her back.

Ella breathing continued to get better over the next few minutes. David continued to rub her back and encourage her.

"We need to put this on her." The on-call doctor told David as he showed him the oxygen mask that they wanted to use to give her oxygen through.

David nodded before looking back down at Ella. "Ella, the doctor needs to put this oxygen mask on you to help with your breathing." David told her gently.

Ella looked up at him and then over to the doctor with a weary look. "I don't need it." Ella said. She was wheezing as she talked even though her breathing had improved.

"Yes you do." David told her softly and Ella frowned. "Can you do it for me?"

Ella looked up at him and could see that he looked worried about her. She didn't want him to have to worry anymore. She nodded her head reluctantly. She didn't want the mask, but she would do it for her Dad.

"Ok, Ella. We are just going to put this mask over your mouth." The doctor said as he slipped it over her head and over her mouth and nose. "Now just keep this on and we will come back to check your breathing."

The nurses and on-call doctor left and David looked down at Ella. "Feeling better?"

Ella nodded, but then reached up to try to take the mask off.

"Uh uh. That stays on, remember?" David told her quickly.

Ella frowned.

"I know it's not fun, but you have to listen to the doctor. He knows what he is doing." David said sympathetically.

"Who knows what they are doing?" Mary Margaret said as she came in the room, but then saw the mask on Ella's face. "What happened?" She asked as she dropped her things and rushed over to Ella.

"She had a panic attack and her breathing got bad. They have her on oxygen for now." David informed her quickly.

Mary Margaret frowned as she cupped her daughter's face. "She'll be okay though?" She asked in worry.

"Yes, they are going to come back to check her breathing in a little bit." David reassured her.

"Good. Thank you so much for watching her while I was gone." Mary Margaret said gratefully.

"It was no problem. I'll see you both later." David told her kindly.

"Please don't go." Ella said after she took the mask off her face.

"Honey, he has to get back to Emma." Mary Margaret said, knowing that David would want to get back to Emma by now.

Ella looked down sadly.

"I'll come back and visit you later, okay?" David said kindly.

"Ok." Ella said with a little smile.

"Put the mask back on and I'll see you later, honey." David said as he patted her head with a smile.

Ella put the mask back on and nodded.

David smiled before leaving the room. He wished he could be with both girls, but he just couldn't.

*****OUAT*****

11:00am

Emma woke up and saw that her Dad had fallen asleep in the chair by the bed. She smiled mischievously. She could finally sneak off to Ella's room. He caught her before she had made it to her room.

Emma clamped up her IV and unplugged it. Last time, she just brought it with her, but not this time. She could go faster without it. She quietly got of the bed and tiptoed to the door and snuck down the hall to Ella's room.

She peeked in the room to see that Mary Margaret was also sleeping. Ella was too, but she could just wake her up. She frowned when she saw the state of her friend and the oxygen mask on her. Was she worse than her Dad and Mary Margaret led her to believe?

She snuck up to her bed and lightly shook her shoulder. "Ella." She whispered, afraid if she spoke any louder that her voice would wake up Mary Margaret.

Ella moved her head and slowly opened her eyes, looking confused. "Emma?"

"Shh." Emma put her finger up to her mouth to signal Ella to be quiet. "Your mom is sleeping and I'm not supposed to be here."

Ella smiled. "You snuck out of your room? I wish I could sneak out, but I'm stuck."

"Yeah, you are." Emma said with a chuckle and then got serious. "Hey, I am sorry for calling you crazy the other day. I didn't mean it. I just can't believe what you want me to. I am sorry."

Ella looked down sadly, but then back up at Emma. "It's okay. I'm sorry I was pushing it on you. It's just really important to me." Ella said softly.

"I know." Emma said with small smile and looked over at Ella's mom. "What should we do?"

"We could watch TV?" Ella said as she looked at the TV and Emma nodded excitedly. "Come sit up here." Ella said as she tried to shift over in the bed as much as she could and Emma got up next to her carefully. Ella held up the covers for her to get under them.

Ella then turned the TV on and turned the volume down.

"Friends. Let's watch that." Emma whispered quietly.

"My mom doesn't let me watch that." Ella said as she bit her lip.

"Your mom is asleep…." Emma said with mischievous look.

Ella smiled mischievously as well. "Ok."

*****OUAT*****

11:40 am

David headed down the hall quickly to Ella's room. He had woken up and saw Emma's empty bed. He hoped she was just in Ella's room, but he didn't know for sure.

He walked in quietly and saw Emma laying in Ella's bed with her. They were both watching TV as Mary Margaret slept in the chair. He sighed before clearing his throat causing both girls to look over. Both of their eyes widened at seeing him.

"Emma. What are you doing in here?" David asked as he came closer to her.

Emma bit her lip. "The nurse said I could…" Emma lied.

David narrowed his eyes. "Which one?"

"Oh she left already…" Emma said as she avoided his eyes.

"That's convenient." David said with a knowing look. "Now you want to tell me the truth?"

Emma grimaced and shook her head no.

David sighed. "Alright then, let's get you back to your bed."

"Can't I stay for a little while longer?" Emma complained.

"No. Not when you are lying to me." David scolded her.

"Ok. Ok. I snuck out while you were sleeping." Emma told him quickly. "Now can I stay?"

"No, kid." David said.

"But I told the truth." Emma whined.

"Yes, I am glad you did, but you only did because you thought you could stay."

"What's going?" Mary Margaret asked as she woke up and saw Emma in Ella's bed with Ella. "Emma, when did you get in here? And what are you two watching?"

Ella bit her lip.

"Ella, turned it off now. You know you aren't to watch that show."

"Emma snuck in here and will be going back to her room now." David said with a disappointed look at Emma who was now pouting. "Let's go, Em."

"Can't you just let her stay?" Ella asked David.

"Ella." Mary Margaret warned and Ella backed off, but also started to pout. They had been having fun while their parents at been sleeping. Now they were ruining their fun.

Mary Margaret and David exchanged an amused yet frustrated look.

"Come on, Em. We need to get you back to bed." David said as he helped her out of the bed. "Wait, where is your IV pole? Did you take it out?"

Emma grimaced and David looked at her arm to see that at least she didn't pull the IV out of her arm, she just disconnected it. David guided Emma out of Ella's room and to her own room to see a nurse coming out of it, looking flustered.

"She's right here, she snuck out." David said.

The nurse nodded in understanding. "I came to actually take her IV out. Dr. Whale will be in after lunch to examine her and decide if she can leave today."

David helped Emma into bed without saying a word.

Emma looked up at him. "I'm sorry I snuck out." Emma told him sincerely.

"Thank you for apologizing, but don't do that again. Not that you will have a chance since I won't be taking my eyes off you this time." David said with a smirk.

"And because I'm going home, right?" Emma asked with a cheeky smile.

"Yes, but you will be following the doctor's orders which is probably going to be to rest. I don't appreciate you sneaking out and I'm not going to stand for it here or at home. Understand?" David said.

"Yes." Emma said.

"Good." David replied.

"Can I watch some TV?" Emma asked after the nurse left the room.

David frowned at her without saying anything. Emma knew that meant no. She smiled sheepishly as she sunk a little lower in her bed. She probably shouldn't push him anymore. He wasn't necessarily mad, but he wasn't exactly in the best mood after waking up to her not being in the room.

David hid a smile at her seeing her sink lower into her pillows. She had some nerve trying watch TV after she snuck out and watch TV with Ella. Although he didn't like her sneaking out and scaring him like that, he did find it rather cute that they were laying in Ella's bed together watching TV. They were lucky to have such a great friend in each other. They seemed as close as sisters.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	14. Believing Alone

Another one…

Emma and Ella

Chapter 14: Believing Alone

Mary Margaret snuck out of the hospital room after Ella fell asleep after eating her lunch. She wanted to see Emma before she left the hospital. David had told her they were discharging her after lunch.

"Knock. Knock." Mary Margaret said as she entered the room.

Emma brightened up even though she had been grumpy before from still being the hospital. She had finally ate her lunch, but it had been a struggle since she had told David she didn't need it since they were going home anyway.

"Hey sweetie. How are you doing?" Mary Margaret asked as she came and sat on Emma's bed.

"I would be better if my Dad would just take me home." Emma grumbled as she glared at David.

David chuckled and Mary Margaret smiled.

"It isn't funny. I am sick of this place." She whined.

"You are going to be leaving soon anyways right?" Mary Margaret asked kindly.

"Supposedly, but I am still here." Emma whined.

"Well I'm glad you are still here or else I wouldn't have been able to visit you again." Mary Margaret told her sweetly.

"I guess that's true." Emma said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"How's your arm?" Mary Margaret asked.

"It hurts a little, but its okay." Emma told her truthfully. She liked having Mary Margaret around it was like having a mom. She liked being with David, but sometimes she wished he had a wife like Mary Margaret or Mary Margaret herself would be best.

"I'm sorry it hurts." Mary Margaret said sympathetically before seeing a deck of cards. "Hey would you play a game of war with me?"

"Sure!" Emma said in excitement.

"I'm going to slip out for a few minutes. I'll be right back." David said as they got the cards ready.

"Ok, we will be fine." Mary Margaret said with a smile.

Mary Margaret played with Emma all the way up to when she was discharged. They only stopped when she could change out of her hospital gown.

"Well I guess it is time to say goodbye, honey." Mary Margaret said.

"I wish you and Ella could just come with us." Emma said sadly. She didn't want to leave Mary Margaret, but she didn't want to stay at the hospital.

"Me too, but we will see each other soon." Mary Margaret said softly. "You just get better and when I see you again, we can play more games."

"Ok, that would be fun." Emma said with a grin. She was just eating up the attention from Mary Margaret. Being injured and recently gone through a traumatic experience, she was just craving motherly attention and comfort. Mary Margaret was the closest person she had to a mother figure so she loved having her around during her time in the hospital.

"Alright, sweetie. I'll see you later." Mary Margaret said as she gave Emma a hug.

"Bye, Mary Margaret." Emma said with a sad look.

*****OUAT*****

2 weeks later….

Ella crutched out of Archie's office and sat on the bench on the sidewalk. She had just finished her first session with Archie. After she got out of the hospital, her mom told her that she wanted her to start seeing Archie once a week. She didn't come out and say it was because of her belief in fairytales and her belief the town was under a curse, but she knew it was. She was just frustrated that she had to go to sessions with him.

"Hey stranger."

Ella smiled as she recognized the voice before looking up at Mr. Wood. "Hi."

"What are you doing out here in the cold?" Mr. Wood said as he sat down next to her. He was a man that took odd jobs all over town to get by. He had always been around for Ella to talk to and was the closest, besides David, to a father figure.

"No one believes me." Ella told him sadly.

"About the curse?" He asked kindly and knowing. She had told him all about the curse long ago. He never discouraged her from believing in it. He just listened.

Ella nodded. "Do you believe me?" Ella asked worriedly.

"I think anything is possible and if you believe in it, that's enough for me." Mr. Wood said seriously.

Ella's eyes brightened. "Really? You actually believe me?"

"Yes. Now, have you figured out who I am yet?" Mr. Wood asked.

"Not yet, but I know who Archie is!" Ella said in excitement.

"Who?" Mr. Wood asked with a smile.

"Jiminy Cricket." She told him with a grin.

Ella went on to tell him about who else she found out since the last time they had talked. She had missed talking with Mr. Wood about the curse. She didn't have to tip toe around it like she did with Emma. She couldn't talk with her mom or David either since she knew they didn't believe her.

*****OUAT*****

10 minutes later….

David pulled up in his truck to see Ella talking with a random stranger. He frowned as he turned the truck off.

"Ella!" He called as he stepped out of the truck. He was picking her up for Mary Margaret since she was running late.

Ella looked up and put her storybook away.

"So he's Prince Charming?" Mr. Wood asked as David started to walk towards them.

"Yep and hopefully my Dad." Ella said quietly with a grin.

"Hey, what's going on here?" David asked as he looked from Ella to Mr. Wood suspiciously.

"Oh this is Mr. Wood. He's my friend." Ella told him and then turned to Mr. Wood. "This is David Nolan, the sheriff."

"It's nice to meet you, sheriff." Mr. Wood said as he stood up and held his hand out to David.

David looked at Mr. Wood skeptically before shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you too." David said a bit stiffly, not sure if this man was a good guy or not. He didn't like that he was just hanging out with Ella. "We better be off, Emma is waiting at the station." David added as he put a hand on Ella's back.

"See you later, Mr. Wood." Ella said with a genuine smile at her friend.

"Bye, Ella." Mr. Wood said, not obviously to the daggers the sheriff was giving him. He understood that it probably looked shady for him to be talking to Ella, but he would never do anything to harm Ella. She was like a daughter to him. He didn't have any kids and Ella kind of helped fill that part of his heart. He always had wanted to be a father and he got to know Ella a long time go.

David took Ella's crutches and put them in the truck bed before picking up Ella and setting her in the passenger seat. He pulled the seatbelt out and handed it to her. "Put your seatbelt on." He said softly.

Ella did and David shut the door and walked around to the other side, keeping an eye on Mr. Wood, wondering what kind of guy he was.

David got in and shut his door. He started the truck and headed back to the station. "So who was that guy?"

"Just an old friend. I have known him for years." Ella said like it was no big deal.

"Does your mom know him?" David asked curiously.

"Sort of. Everyone knows him. He does odd jobs all over town." Ella said as she shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know why he seemed so worried about her talking with him.

David nodded, but he was going to ask Mary Margaret about this man and do a check on him to make sure that he was a good guy.

"How was your first day back at school?" David asked after a moment.

"Alright." Ella said with a shrug of her shoulders. She was pretty tired from using her crutches all day and she hadn't take her pain medication after lunch like she was supposed to so she had been in pain for most of the day.

"Being on your crutches all day couldn't have been comfortable."

"I guess it wasn't, but it's fine." Ella said with a shrug of her shoulders.

David smiled at how she was being tough. "Well you'll be able to rest tonight. Did you get any homework?"

"A little, but not too much."

"Good." David said as he pulled into the station. He got out of the truck and went around to the passenger's side to open Ella's door. Instead of getting her crutches, he picks her up and carries her to the building.

"Wait, I can walk with my crutches." Ella said when he didn't put her down and give her the crutches.

"I think you could use a break from them." David told her as he continued to the station.

Ella rolled her eyes. "Wait, why didn't my mom pick me up?"

David chuckled. "She is running late so she asked me to pick you up. She'll be here soon."

"Hey Ella!" Emma said from where she was sitting doing her homework.

"Hey Emma." Ella said as David set her down on the couch next to the desk Emma was working at.

"Now, you stay off your leg and rest until your mom gets here." David said.

"Ok." Ella said, knowing that he wouldn't have it any other way. "But are you going to get my crutches?"

"I will. When your mom gets here." David told her calmly before going into his office.

Ella sighed. "Does he think I am going to try to sneak off?"

"Probably." Emma said with a chuckle.

Ella rolled her eyes. "What are you working on?"

"My math homework." Emma said with a frown. Her arm was still in a cast and in a sling so it was a little tricky doing any written work. "Do you understand this stuff?"

Emma came over and sat down by Ella.

"Sort of. My mom started to teach me about it, but I haven't quite got it down." Ella said as she looked at the first problem.

"Well I am lost and I haven't even missed as much school as you. Can you help me?" Emma asked.

"I can try. I have to do this later anyway." Ella said.

Emma and Ella both worked on their math homework together for the next 20 minutes as Ella waited for her mom to come get her.

"I am glad we got that done." Emma said in relief and Ella nodded tiredly. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired and don't tell anyone, but my ribs and knee are really killing me today." Ella told her quietly.

"Is this because you didn't take your pain medication after lunch?" Emma asked quietly.

"Yeah, but it makes me tired and I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate in my classes if I had taken it." Ella said.

"Hey, you don't have to convince me." Emma said with a chuckle.

"I know. I just have a feeling that my mom will have found out about it when she gets here." Ella said with a sigh.

Emma grimaced. "She might not."

"Hopefully." Ella said with a smile.

They heard the door open and close to the station and Emma looked over at Ella. "Sounds like your mom's here."

Ella nodded. "Maybe David will get my crutches now."

The girls both looked up to find that the person who came in wasn't Ella's mom, but the mayor of Storybrooke.

Regina locked eyes with Ella for a moment that made shivers go down her spine.

"Mayor Mills, what can I do for you?" David asked as he saw who it was that came in.

"I came to report that…that" Regina looked over at Ella with an icy glare, "girl has been sneaking around my place and my office. I noticed that I was missing things from my home and my office so I had my secretary review the security tapes from my house and office. It took some time, but about three weeks ago she was sneaking around my place and then my office the next day."

Ella knew she hadn't stolen a thing from either the Mayor's house or office. She had however been sneaking around them.

"What was stolen?" David asked curiously. He, for some reason, didn't quite believe her that Ella stole anything from her place. Yes, she had been sneaking around her places, but he doubted that she stole anything.

"I'll give you a list of things that were stolen and the security tapes. Then I want something done about this. Whether she pays for it or her mother, one of them will repay me for my personal property that she stole." Regina said.

"Mayor Mills. I assure you that I will look into this and review the case." David reassured her.

"Good." Regina said and turned on her heel to leave just as Mary Margaret was coming in. Regina glared at her as they passed each other.

"What did she want?" Mary Margaret asked in fear.

"She accused Ella of stealing a list of things from her house and office." David said with a sigh.

"What? She hasn't even been anywhere since the accident." Mary Margaret exclaimed.

"She found her on the security tapes from about three weeks ago." David responded.

"And she's just now finding out that she's missing these things that supposedly Ella took over three weeks ago?" Mary Margaret said skeptically.

"I know. It doesn't seem right." David said.

"I didn't steal anything from her. I promise." Ella told them from the couch in a sad voice.

"I believe you, Ella." Emma said as she took her friend's hand.

Mary Margaret came over. "I believe you too, honey. Now, let's get you home and resting." Mary Margaret said with a smile. "Wait where are your crutches?"

David smiled. "They are in the truck. I wanted her to rest since she was using them all day. I'll carry her out to your car and get them for you."

"Thanks, David." Mary Margaret said with a smile as he picked Ella up off the couch. She then looked over at Emma with a kind smile. "How's your arm, Em?"

"Fine, it's just annoying doing everything one handed." Emma responded.

Mary Margaret smiled. "That would be annoying. If you needed anything at school, you just let me know, okay?"

Emma nodded with a smile.

"Alright, see you later, sweetie." Mary Margaret said kindly.

"Here don't forget your math homework." Emma said as she handed Ella her math sheet.

"Oh thanks." Ella said with a small smile at her friend. "See you tomorrow."

"See you." Emma responded with a kind smile. She felt bad that the Mayor was accusing her of stealing. She could tell that Ella was telling the truth about not stealing anything. She had only seen the mayor a few times and she knew she wasn't a friendly lady, but she had never seen her like that. She just almost could believe Ella's theory that she was the Evil Queen, almost.

She just didn't understand why she was out for Ella and Mary Margaret. It just seemed really random for her to hate them so much. Ella had told her all about how the Mayor cut her mom's pay when she was adopted and made their lives horrible at times. She thought she had been exaggerating, but now she wasn't so sure. If looks could kill, Ella would have been dead after the look the Mayor had been giving her.

She didn't understand it all, but she did know one thing Ella was telling the truth. She hadn't stolen anything from the Mayor.

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll try to get out another chapter tomorrow! Oh and I am working on writing after the curse right now so if there are any suggestions that you would like to see after the curse breaks message me or PM me. Thanks!**


	15. Mayor Mills aka The Evil Queen

**Thanks for the kind reviews! I love hearing that you are enjoying the story!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 15: Mayor Mills aka The Evil Queen**

One week went by and all the evidence of the stolen items was pointing to Ella. They found more than one of the items at Mary Margaret's loft, hidden in Ella's room. Regina wasn't easing up on Ella or Mary Margaret either. She was determined to either get Ella sent away from Storybrooke or get Ella taken from Mary Margaret.

Fortunately, since she was a minor, David was able to prevent that from happening. That just infuriated the Mayor more. So she thought of a new plan…

 _ **David and Emma were having dinner at Mary Margaret and Ella's house.**_

"Emma, you want to help me with dinner?" Mary Margaret asked kindly.

"Uh I don't know. I'm not very good in the kitchen." Emma responded.

"I'm sure you aren't that bad! Come on, I'll teach you!" Mary Margaret encouraged her.

"Ok, but don't blame me if I burn dinner " Emma told her seriously and everyone chuckled.

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen." Mary Margaret said with a smile.

Ella still had her crutches and hadn't sat down yet.

"Ella, why don't you go sit on the couch and rest your leg?"

"Mom..." Ella whined.

"Why don't you show me how to play that video game you and Emma have been playing lately?" David asked to distract her and get her to sit down without a fight.

Ella knew what he was doing, but she would rather be playing a video game then be working in the kitchen. "Ok, I guess we could do that."

"Good." David said and followed her to the couch.

Mary Margaret smiled as she watched David help Ella get settled. David looked up at her and smiled as well.

They were coming closer and closer together. And with this trouble with Regina almost over, they could continue to move forward in being a family in the future.

"How's your arm feeling?" Mary Margaret asked Emma. Emma still had her arm in her cast, but it was supposed to come off the next week.

"It's alright, I just wish that my cast was off already." Emma said with a frown.

"I know, but you haven't gotten pretty good at using one arm." Mary Margaret said with a kind smile.

"That's true, but it would be nice to have two arms again." Emma said seriously.

Mary Margaret smiled. She loved having Emma around. She felt like she had always known her.

10 minutes later there was a knock at the door and Mary Margaret went to answer. "Mayor Mills."

David stood up and walked over to stand behind Mary Margaret.

Regina rolled her eyes as she saw that David and Emma were there too. "I've come to tell you I'm dropping the charges on Ella."

"What? Really?" Mary Margaret stuttered in surprise.

"What made you change your mind?" David asked skeptically.

"I found out who Ella's real parent is." Regina said with a smirk.

Ella stiffened up and Mary Margaret looked over at Ella with a terrified look. She couldn't lose her daughter.

"Who?" David asked.

"Me. Almost thirteen years ago I had a little girl, but she was kidnapped just a few hours after she was born. I searched for her, but there were no leads and I assumed she had died. They did a DNA test and found out that I am Ella's mother."

"That's a lie! I'm not your daughter!" Ella yelled as she stood up as Emma came towards her.

"Actually you are and I'm coming to pick you up tomorrow morning at 8 am so you better have everything ready to go." Regina said sternly.

"Mayor Mills. You can't just take her. I adopted her, she's my daughter." Mary Margaret pleaded.

"I already have the paperwork and I will be taking her tomorrow." Regina said and turned to go.

"Why are you just now realizing she is your daughter? If you searched so hard wouldn't you have found her since she was right here in your own town?" David asked skeptically. He didn't believe her and he could tell something was shady with all this coming out right now. Plus if she really was finding her daughter after thirteen years, you would think she would be a lot happier.

Regina looked back at them. "I was grieving and desperate. I didn't have a reason to believe that the baby Mary Margaret had was mine." Regina told him with an icy glare.

"Be ready at 8 sharp." Regina told Ella before turning on her heel and leaving with an evil smirk.

"She can't do this, right? She can't just take Ella from me!" Mary Margaret asked David in a horrified voice.

"I don't know, but I am going to look into it. I don't believe that she is being truthful. It just doesn't make sense." David said quietly to her as he shut the door.

"Emma, what if I am her daughter? Could that be possible? That would be terrible!" Ella said as Emma helped her sit back down.

"My Dad won't let her take you. Neither will your mom." Emma reassured her.

*****OUAT*****

Despite their efforts, legally they had to let Regina take Ella. However, they would be working on getting her back. If need be, they would go to court.

"Don't you worry. You'll be back in no time." Mary Margaret said as she held Ella's face between her hands.

"I don't want to go at all, mom. She's mean and she can't be my mom. You are my mom." Ella said with tears in her eyes.

"And I always will be, but for now you have to go with her. I will do whatever I can do to get you back. I promise." Mary Margaret reassured her before bringing her in for a hug. "She will be here soon. I love you and I'll still be here for you if you need me, okay?"

"Ok. I love you too." Ella said through her tears just as there was a knock at the door.

Mary Margaret pulled away and wiped away her daughter's tears. "I love you." She whispered as she put a kiss on her daughter's head.

Ella nodded and Mary Margaret let go to open the door to Regina.

"Ms. Blanchard." Regina greeted her coldly before looking to Ella. "Ready?"

Ella nodded as she picked up her bag.

"Here is her medicine and she has an appointment on Wednesday at 1pm for her leg." Mary Margaret said as she handed her the medicine.

Regina nodded before looking at Ella, "let's go."

Ella started to freak out. "No! I'm not going. Mom don't let her take me!" Ella pleaded.

Regina took her by the arm and pulled her out of the apartment.

"I'll get you back, I promise!" Mary Margaret said with tears in her eyes.

Ella tried to get away from Regina and go to her mom, but Regina pulled her with her.

Ella struggled all the way to Regina's car. "No! No! I'm not going with you!" Ella yelled at her as she struggled to get away from.

Regina wasted no time in swatting her backside before turning her towards her. Ella froze in fear of Regina. "This is how this is going to go. If you don't listen to me, I'm shipping you to boarding school far from here. I don't care about you one bit and I won't hesitate to send you away. Now get in and be quiet." Regina threatened her.

Ella gulped and got in the car. She was terrified of Regina. She saw no love in Regina's eyes. She had started to second guess if she really was Snow White's daughter. It would make sense if she was Regina's daughter with her having dark hair, but then again Mary Margaret had dark hair too. Then again in the storybook, Snow White and Prince Charming only had one child and her name was Emma. Emma was a spitting image of both of them combined. She had her mom's chin and green eyes with her dad's blonde hair. She was a perfect mixture of them and she was in the book. She wasn't in the book at all. Not as their daughter and not as the Evil Queen's daughter. Now though she knew she couldn't be Regina's daughter - or at least she hoped she wasn't - she couldn't be the daughter of the Evil Queen! She just couldn't be!

She still had to keep the hope that she wasn't her daughter and she was Mary Margaret's daughter. Also that her real mom and David would get her back again.

*****OUAT*****

2 weeks later...

"I heard Regina talking and I know that I'm not her daughter. She was on the phone with somebody and she said I wasn't her daughter. She said she has never even been pregnant!" Ella whispered to Emma at school.

"Seriously? How did she fake the DNA testing?" Emma said in confusion.

"I'm sure she bribed someone or more likely threatened someone." Ella said.

"Yeah. Most likely. She is a scary lady. I can't believe you have been living with her for two weeks now." Emma said with a grimace.

"I know. Do you think my mom and your dad will get me out of there soon?" Ella asked losing hope already.

"Yes. They are doing everything they can. I promise." Emma reassured her. "She's just..."

"Evil." Ella finished for her.

"Basically. She is making it so hard for them." Emma said with a frown.

"Well at least she hadn't sent me away to boarding school yet." Ella said with a sigh.

"What?!" Emma said in shock.

"Oh I guess I never told anyone that she threatened me the day she took me from mom that if I didn't listen to her she wouldn't hesitate to send me away to boarding school." Ella said jokingly, but her eyes told Emma another story.

"That's terrible. Is that why you haven't tried running away from her?"

Ella nodded.

"I was so sure you would have run away as soon as you got there."

"I was planning on it, but then she told me that and I could tell she meant it." Ella said sadly.

"But I better go. She is picking me up and she won't like it if I'm late." Ella said as she started to walk with Emma to the front doors.

Regina was parked at the end of the curb and David was just pulling up to the school. "Ella! Come here." David called quickly.

Ella glanced at Regina's car and then walked quickly over to David's truck.

"How's your leg, honey?" David asked worriedly since she was still limping even though she wasn't using her crutches. She had been wearing a walking boot for a week now, but he wasn't sure if that meant she could bear all her weight on her leg yet.

"It's alright. I think." Ella said. She had stopped using the crutches even though the doctor didn't clear it. Regina didn't care that she wasn't using them.

David frowned. "Did the doctor tell you that you could stop using your crutches?" David asked.

"Of course." Ella lied quickly.

David looked at her skeptically before letting it go. "Is she treating you okay?" David asked in concern.

Ella looked to the car to see Regina getting out. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Let's go, Ella!" Regina called with a glare at her.

"I've got go!" Ella said quickly before walking or more correctly limping off towards Regina's car.

"Get in the car. Now." Regina said firmly.

David and Emma watched as Ella got in. Regina sent a glare to David, but David didn't flinch.

"We got to get her away from her, Dad." Emma said in worry as Regina drove off.

"I know. We are trying, but it is proving to be a lot more difficult then we thought it would be." David said in a defeated voice.

"Ella told me that she threatened to send her away to boarding school." Emma told him.

David looked over at Emma with a worried look. "She said that?"

Emma nodded her head. "You can't give up on her." Emma pleaded.

"I'm not, Emma." David answered seriously.

"Good because Regina hates her. Did you see how she looked at her?"

"I did. We will fix this Emma. It just may take some time."

*****OUAT*****

"I don't want you talking to Mr. Nolan or Emma anymore." Regina told Ella in frustration as they drove home.

"What? Why?" Ella asked.

Regina looked over at her. "Because I said so!" She snapped at her. "Don't you dare forget that I will send you away if you don't obey me!"

"But she's my friend." Ella said sadly.

"Make new friends." Regina replied without concern.

Ella felt like crying. She didn't want to stop being friends with Emma or stop talking to David. Next, it would be she couldn't see her mom, good thing she was her teacher so she would see her everyday at school. Regina made sure though that Ella wasn't at school very early or very late so that she couldn't spend any more time with her mom.

 **Hope you liked this chapter! Oh and I was wondering if any of you had an idea who Mr. Wood actually is? I would love to hear if you have any ideas.**


	16. Chapter 16: Hope Lost

A/N: Sorry it's been forever! I started watching Arrow and got really distracted! Anyway here is the next chapter of Emma and Ella. :)

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 16: Hope Lost**

Two days later (Saturday)...

Ella managed to sneak off. Regina kept her home on Friday so she wasn't able to tell Emma or her mom about how Regina wasn't going to let her see Emma or David anymore. She decided to sneak off when Regina was at a business meeting until 2 so she had two hours before she needed to be back.

She snuck off to town to see if David and Emma were at the station. Sometimes they would be there for a few hours on Saturday. As she got to town though she saw that they weren't at the station, but about to go into Granny's. Just as they got out to their truck, Mary Margaret came up to them. Ella smiled and then frowned. They didn't seem like they missed her. They were smiling and hugging each other. They then went into the Granny's for lunch.

She frowned before sneaking up to Granny's and sneaking into the back through the inn. She peeked at them around the wall to see them sitting together like a perfect little family. They didn't seem to need her. Maybe they really had given up on her. They hadn't even tried to get in contact with her after she missed a day at school. They weren't worried at all about her!

Ella turned away and ran off. She ran all the way to her castle without realizing where she was going. She climbed up and sat down on the landing before bursting out into tears. The last few weeks had been terrible for her, but at least she had some hope that she'd be back with her family and this whole nightmare would be over. Now, though she knew it was pointless to hope. They didn't want her back and she was completely alone.

*****OUAT*****

Ella snuck in right before Regina was due back. She was always right on time and never early or late so it was easy to sneak out when she left. She probably would start doing it more now that she figured it out.

She realized one thing after crying her eyes out at her castle. The only way to solve her problem was to break the curse. She just wasn't sure how to do it.

*****OUAT*****

Monday morning

"Remember stay away from Emma today and you better not be talking to Ms. Blanchard at school." Regina warned her at breakfast.

"You mean my mom?!" Ella snapped rudely.

"She isn't your mother and you better start realizing she never will be again. She doesn't want you anymore anyways. None of them do. They stopped trying to get you back from me. They gave up on you." Regina told her in anger.

"That's not true." Ella snapped back quickly.

"Oh you know it is. You were just a stepping stone for Mary Margaret to get her perfect family. But that doesn't include you. You are nothing to her and nothing to David. So don't act like you are something special to them or anyone. You are nobody."

Ella jumped up from the table and grabbed her bag before heading towards the door.

"You'll see. They don't want you." Regina taunted her as Ella got to the door.

Ella paused at the door before opening it and slamming it behind her.

*****OUAT*****

Days went by and Ella didn't talk to anyone more than was necessary. Soon Emma stopped trying and Mary Margaret backed off.

Ella was having a hard time with everything and wouldn't even talk to Archie in her session. Regina had kept her going to her sessions, knowing about Ella's theories.

"Is there anything you want to talk about, Ella?" Archie asked when half the session went by without so much as a word from Ella besides when she said hi when she got there.

Ella shook her head.

"You know whatever you say I won't tell anyone. It's just between us, Ella." Archie reassured her.

Ella's bottom lip started to quiver as she tried to not cry.

"I know none of this has been easy on you and I'm just trying to help." Archie said sympathetically.

"There's nothing to talk about! Nobody believes me. Nobody can help me get away from Regina. And no one wants me!" Ella yelled as she stood up from the couch before starting towards the door.

"Ella, that's not true." Archie said as he stood up as well, but Ella left the room.

*****OUAT*****

Ella went outside and plopped down on her bench, putting her head in her hands.

"Ella? Are you alright?"

Ella looked up at her friend and let her tears run down her face. "No." she cried.

He sat down by her and put an arm around her. "What's wrong?"

"No one believes me and no one wants me! I'm all alone." Ella cried out.

"Hey, hey. What about me?" Mr. Wood asked. "Remember I believe you. Did you ever figure out who I am?"

"I...I think so..." Ella responded as she started to dry her tears.

"Who then?" Mr. Wood asked in excitement.

"Robin Hood. I think at least." Ella said with a little smile.

"Robin Hood, huh? I like that!" Mr. Wood said.

"Ella! Ella!" Emma called as she ran across the street to her friend.

"Who is this?" Mr. Hood asked kindly.

"My friend, Emma." Ella said meaningfully, reminding him silently that Emma was the savior.

"Oh Emma. Well it's nice to meet you, Emma." Mr. Wood said as he held his hand out to her. "I'm Mr. Wood."

"Hi Mr. Wood." Emma said as she took his hand to shake. As she did though, Robin took a step back and closed his eyes.

"Mr. Wood! Are you okay?" Ella asked quickly as she put a hand on his arm.

"Yeah, yeah. I just got a little dizzy. I'll see you later girls." Mr. Wood said before walking off in a bit of a daze.

"What was that?" Emma asked with a weirded out look.

"I don't know. He's never acted that way." Ella said in concern before sitting back down on her bench.

"Hey, why are you ignoring me and your mom at school?" Emma asked as she sat down by Ella.

"It doesn't matter." Ella mumbled to her.

"Yes it does! We all miss you and are trying to get you back to Mary Margaret."

"Are you guys? Because it doesn't seem like anyone is doing anything!" Ella snapped back in hurt.

"Your mom and my Dad have been trying everything they can to get you back. I know it must not be easy on you being there, but you can't lose hope."

"I already have." Ella said sadly and defeated.

"Well I haven't. So please don't shut me out!" Emma said seriously. "You've been the best friend I've ever had, almost like a sister, and I'm not losing you now."

"Emma, don't you get it. Regina isn't letting me talk to you, or David or even my mom. She doesn't want me anyway near any of you or else she will send me away." Ella said with tears in her eyes.

"Oh Ella, I didn't know." Emma said sadly.

Ella continued to cry and Emma wrapped her arms around her.

"Please don't lose hope. We are still fighting for you." Emma told her as she hugged her.

"Okay, I'll try." Ella said through her tears.

"Good." Emma said with a smile.

"You better go now before Regina gets here." Ella said after seeing the time.

"Before I go, I wanted to give you this." Emma said as she pulled out a walkie talkie. "It's so we can communicate with each other. Dad gave them to me and I thought we could use them for our mission."

"What mission?" Ella asked curiously, wondering if Emma finally believes her.

"Getting you back to your mom, silly!" Emma said with a smile.

"Oh of course." Ella said as she took it and slipped it in her backpack. "Maybe we could call it operation cobra."

"Why cobra?" Emma asked with a laugh.

"Because it won't give away what we are trying to do!" Ella said with a smile. "It is a code name, Emma."

"I guess that's true."

"Oh snap. You better go or else I'm going to be big trouble." Ella said as she saw Regina's car coming down the road.

"Ok, bye. Talk to you soon!" Emma said as she got up and ran off.

Ella cringed as she saw Regina's face. She definitely had seen Emma and wasn't happy about it.

She parked and got out of the car to walk up to Ella, pulling her off the bench. "What were you doing talking to her?!" Regina asked sternly.

"Nothing! She just was wondering why I wasn't talking to her." Ella told her quickly with a eye roll.

"Don't lie to me! I saw her run when you guys saw me! You've been talking to her at school haven't you?!"

"No, no! I haven't. I promise!" Ella said sincerely.

"Maybe I need to start looking into boarding schools for you!" Regina threatened her as she pulled her to the car.

"No, don't please. I won't talk to her again! I promise!" Ella pleaded even though she wasn't going to stop talking to Emma.

"You better not because if I find out that you do one more time, I will be signing you up for boarding school." Regina threatened. "Get in." Regina said as she opened the door.

Ella got angrier as she got in the car. She didn't want to be sent away and if she tried to send her away she would just run away.


	17. Belief

**A/N: Here is the next chapter! Hope you like it!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 17: Belief**

Unaware to Ella, Mr. Wood started to wake up and remember who he was. Regina found out and got worried that her curse was starting to break from Emma being in Storybrooke so she devised a plan to get rid of her for good.

 _ **Saturday at 2pm**_

Emma was alone at home as David was at work from 1pm to 5pm. She was finally off restriction and allowed to stay at home alone for shorter periods of time. David would call and check on her to make sure she was okay every once in awhile.

Emma heard a knock on the door and hoped it was Ella. Ella had been sneaking out when she could to see her and she figured it was her.

She opened it to see she had been wrong. It was Mayor Mills.

"Hi Emma." She said in a polite voice.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked rudely.

"I came to apologize to you." Regina said in her best kind voice and Emma looked suspiciously at her. "I was wrong to keep Ella from you and I want to apologize and let you know that you two can be friends again. I won't stand in your way."

"Really?" Emma asked.

"Yes, I have seen how down my daughter has been and realized I was wrong to ask her not to be your friend. I'm so sorry, Emma." Regina said in her kindest voice.

Emma nodded, stunned by her actually caring for Ella.

"Well that's all I came to say." Regina started to turn and then stopped. "Oh I almost forgot. I brought this for you. I hope you like apple." She added with a smile.

"Thanks." Emma said as she took the container containing an apple turnover.

"Your welcome and you are welcome over at the house anytime. Ella and I would love to have you." Regina added with a kind smile before leaving.

Emma shut the door and looked at the apple turnover as she thought of what just happened. She ran into the kitchen to grab her walkie talkie. "Ella. Come in. Come in." Emma said over the walkie talkie.

"Hey Emma. What's up?"

"Your mom...I mean Regina was by and she changed her mind about you seeing me! She apologized and everything!"

"What? She wouldn't do that."

"She did. I think she actually cares for you! She even gave me an apple turnover she made! Come over and we can share it while we celebrate!"

"Apple?! Wait for me! I'll be there soon!" Ella said quickly.

Emma giggled to herself. "I didn't know she liked apples that much!"

10 minutes later...

Ella knocked on Emma's door. She hoped she hadn't taken a bite from that apple turnover. When the door opened, she sighed in relief.

"Geez, did you run all the way here? That can't be good for your leg." Emma said with a chuckle. Ella's leg was taking a long time to heal since she hadn't been using crutches or resting it like she should.

"Yes, well mostly. What happened?"

Emma told her everything that Regina had said.

"She's lying. She doesn't care about me one bit."

"Ella, I think she does. She seemed very sincere for once." Emma said. "She even gave me the turnover. I doubt she'd do that for me if she was faking it. Come on let's go eat it."

"No! You can't eat it! It's apple!"

"What? Why?"

"She's the Evil Queen and wants to get rid of you. Don't eat it!"

"Are you kidding me? You think the apple is poison and going to put me in a sleeping curse like Snow White?" Emma asked with a sigh.

"Yes!" Ella yelled seriously.

"It's just a turnover, Ella. There is no curse and I'm not the savior. I'll prove it to you." Emma said as she started to the plate where the turnover was.

"No!" Ella said as she ran around Emma and grabbed the turnover. "You might not believe in me, but I believe in you." Ella said before taking a bite from the turnover.

"You want some ice cream with that..." Emma started to tease her, but then Ella fell to the ground, passing out. "Ella!"

*****OUAT*****

 _ **2:45 pm**_

"She took a bite out of this and just collapsed on the floor!" Emma explained in a panicked voice.

"Well it isn't any poison...it's like it's ..." Dr. Whale said.

"Magic." Emma said as she grabbed Ella's backpack and took out the book. As soon as she did, a flood of memories came to her of being held by her mom and dad and being taken to the wardrobe. "It's real." She breathed.

"What happened?" Regina said as she came into the room.

"You! You did this! That apple turnover you gave me, she ate it!" Emma yelled at her.

"What? That was meant for you!" Regina said in anger that her plan didn't work.

"Why couldn't you just leave us alone?!" Emma yelled.

"Because you two are ruining my life and I wasn't going to stand for it anymore!" Regina yelled before turning on her heels and leaving.

"Emma! Emma! What happened?" Mary Margaret asked as she looked over at her daughter in the hospital bed.

Emma looked stunned for a moment as she saw Mary Margaret and David. They were her real parents!

"Emma, what happened?" David asked when she didn't answer.

"She ate this and passed out." Emma said, showing the bag with turnover in it. "Regina gave it to me. Ella told me not to eat it."

"Then why did she?" David asked.

"To prove to be that the curse is real and to help me to believe." Emma said with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

David hugged Emma tightly before asking her to go wait outside of the room.

David and Mary Margaret went to Ella and talked with the doctor who told them the situation and that there wasn't anything he could do. He didn't know what was wrong so he didn't know how to fix it.

Emma watched from outside of the room. She knew she had to break the curse, but she didn't know how.

"Emma." Mr. Gold said as he approached her.

"Who are you?" Emma said, knowing who he was in Storybrooke, but not who he really was.

"Why I'm Mr. Gold..."

"I know that. Who are you really?" Emma asked.

"Is that a look of a believer?" said and Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm Rumplestiltskin."

Emma's eyes widened. She knew enough to know he wasn't exactly a hero, but then she realized he would know how to help Ella.

"Can you help me wake her?" Emma asked urgently.

"Yes, but you will need to come with me. I have hidden some magic below the city and only you can get it."

"Will it save Ella?"

"It's magic from true love, from your parents' true love, so yes it has the power to break any curse."

Emma followed him to his shop where he got her father's sword and told her what she must do.

When she finally got the egg, Gold managed to escape with it and leave her alone.

She rushed to the hospital not knowing if Ella was okay or not. She hated that Gold tricked her, but she had to try to help her friend still.

Meanwhile, Mary Margaret had freaked out when Ella started to flat line and left the hospital with David following her. She was overwhelmed and couldn't watch Ella die. David was trying to comfort her the best he could when he realized he hadn't seen Emma inside or on their way out of the building. David went off to try to find her.

Emma makes it back to Ella's room to find the nurses and doctors leaving along with Mother Superior, looking defeated.

"I'm sorry Emma, but we lost her." Dr. Whale said sadly.

"No.." Emma breathed as she walked slowly into the room and cried as she looked at Ella. Ella was like a sister to her. She couldn't lose her now.

She came closer to the bed and touched her friend's hand tentatively as she cried.

"I love you, Ella." Emma whispered before kissing Ella's head.

Just as she did a bright light spread out from them and throughout the town.

Ella took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

"You did it." Ella said with a smile. "You woke me up."

Emma smiled before hugging Ella tightly.

"What's going on?" Ella asked as she saw all the hospital staff looking confused and scared.

"I don't know." Emma said confused.

"You must have broken the curse!" Ella exclaimed.

"She did." Mother Superior said, "but it isn't safe for you now that the curse is broken. Regina will be after you."

"Ok." Emma said, but knew she would be fine.

"We should go..." Ella said trying to get out of bed.

"You can't go anywhere yet. We need to check you out before we discharge you." Dr. Whale said.

"I'll wait for you." Emma said.

"No. Go on without me. I'll be fine." Ella said, realizing she would finally be finding out if Prince Charming and Snow White were her parents too and she was all of sudden very unsure of the whole thing.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked in concern.

"Yeah, I shouldn't be apart of your family reunion anyway. Go ahead. I'll see you later." Ella told her confidently.

"Ok, but I'll bring them back here." Emma said before leaving the room and hospital to find her parents.

After Emma left though, Ella snuck off when the nurses weren't looking and followed her to see the reunion. She didn't want to join in case she wasn't their daughter, she couldn't take that rejection face to face. She would be crushed.

She heard David say, "wait, who's Ella?" He asked confused.

Ella's heart shatters into a million pieces. She isn't their daughter. David would know if she was his daughter, but he doesn't even know her! She didn't even hear anything else they said. Instead, she backed away slowly and then turned around and ran as fast as she could to the one place she felt safe. Her castle.

Ella sat in her castle with her legs pulled up to her chest, rocking slowly back and forth as she tried to calm herself.

Her life was about to drastically change. They wouldn't want her. She was nobody just like Regina said she was. She had always nobody. Why did she ever believe that she was Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter? The book had clearly had them have one daughter and her name was Emma not Ella. She wasn't their daughter. She wasn't anyone's daughter. She was alone now.


	18. Finally Together

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! The curse is finally broken! If you have any ideas you would like to see now that the family is together message me! Hope you like this chapter!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 18: Finally, Together**

20 minutes earlier (Around 6:30pm) ...

Emma walked nervously towards her parents. They were hugging Granny and Ruby and bunch of other short guys.

She knew she had just seen them, but this was different. They knew who they were and who she was.

Would she be good enough for them? Would they still want her? She hoped so.

She heard her Dad say, "now we find our daughter."

"So its true." Emma said softly from behind them.

They both turned to her.

"Emma." Snow breathed before coming to cup Emma's face in her hands. "You found us." She said before bringing her in for a hug. Charming joined their hug and put his hand on the back of Emma's head.

They pulled apart after a moment and Charming looked confused at Snow. "Wait, who's Ella?"

"Oh my goodness, Ella!" Snow exclaimed as she remembered getting the call that she didn't make it just before the curse broke. She had been wondering around in a daze until Charming found her. "She's…"

Emma looked at her mom confused. "What? No, she's fine. I woke her up. That's how the curse broke." Emma told her quickly.

"What? Really? Is she okay?" Snow asked.

"Well I think so. Dr. Whale wouldn't let her go yet. He said she needed to be checked out first." Emma told her mom.

"Wait. Who is Ella?" David asked again. Still wondering who she was. "Is she really Regina's daughter?"

Snow's eyes widened. "No, she's not Regina's daughter. And she's been with _her_ forthree weeks now! Oh David, we got to go to her now. Regina could try to get her again."

"We will, but if she's not Regina's daughter, who's daughter is she?"

Snow looked up at him with an amused smile. "I think you know whose daughter she is." Snow said with a kind smile. "She's our daughter. She came five minutes after Emma. Shortly after you left to put Emma in the wardrobe."

David smiled. "Ella is my daughter too? I have two daughters?"

Snow smiled back and took his hand in hers. "Yes. But we better get to Ella."

David nodded and then took Emma's hand.

"Wait so Ella is my sister?" Emma asked with a little smile forming on her lips.

"Yes, honey." Snow said with a grin. Her family was about to be whole again and she couldn't wait. She had a wonderful husband and two beautiful daughters. The curse was broken and they could all finally be happy.

*****OUAT*****

"What do you mean she isn't here?" David asked in an irritated voice.

"Just that. She must have snuck off when we weren't looking, but she needs to be here. I haven't gotten to thoroughly examine her. Plus I need to check her leg. I don't think it has been healing properly." Dr. Whale answered.

"We'll find her and bring her back." Snow said before turning to her husband. "We have to find her. It's getting dark and I don't want to think of what would happen if Regina found her first."

"We will. Where do you think she would have gone?" David asked.

"Her castle." Emma said. "She always goes there."

"That's true." Snow said.

"Let's go." David said and they were off to find Ella.

*****OUAT*****

"Ella." Snow said softly as she rubbed her back. Ella had fallen asleep crying and after all that had happened, she was worn out.

Ella lifted her head to see her mom sitting by her on the landing of the castle. It was dark now with only the street light lighting up the castle. She immediately hugged her.

"Shh. I'm here, sweetie." Snow said as she hugged her back. "What are you doing here, honey?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders.

"You should be in the hospital still. They haven't discharged you." Snow said softly. "David? Can you carry her?"

"You don't need to take me. I can take care of myself." Ella said stiffly. She didn't want to be a burden to them since she wasn't their daughter.

Snow and David exchanged a confused look. "What's this about, Ella?" David asked softly.

"Don't pretend to care. I am not yours or anyone's and I know you guys don't want me." Ella told them with a frown.

Snow and David exchanged another look, this one a bit amused.

"Ella, honey, you are our daughter." Snow said softly with a kind smile.

Ella rolled her eyes. "I know you adopted me, but I am not your real daughter, not like Emma."

"Ella, you are our real daughter, you're Emma's twin sister. I had you five minutes after I had Emma. Your Dad wasn't there because he was putting Emma in the wardrobe. It was a miracle that you ended up on my doorstep in the curse and I was able to raise you." Snow told her softly.

"So I am yours, for sure? Not Regina's?" Ella asked hopefully.

"Yes, honey. You were never Regina's and never will be. I'm sorry that you had to live with her." Snow answered.

"I missed you." Ella said quietly, looking at her mom with sad eyes.

"We missed you too." Snow said as she quickly hugged Ella again. "Now, we have to get you back to the hospital." Snow said when she pulled away and then looked at David and nodded.

"Come on, sweetheart." David said as he scooped her up in his arms before getting down from the castle.

Snow went ahead of them and put an arm around Emma to guide her back to the truck.

"So you're my Dad?" Ella asked shyly.

David smiled. "I guess so." David said softly before kissing her head.

Ella smiled because she could tell he was happy about it. "I've never had a Dad before." She said shyly.

"Well now you do, kid." David said with a grin before once again, kissing her forehead.

*****OUAT*****

"Is it really necessary to go back to the hospital?" Ella asked as she was sitting in between her mother and Emma. Her Dad was driving the truck.

As a response, she got two yeses and one no, the no being from Emma.

Snow and Charming both glanced at Emma with frowns.

"What? I agree with Ella. She's fine." Emma said with a cheeky grin.

"So it's a tie!" Ella said. "And since it's about me, I get an extra vote and I say no!"

Charming and Snow exchanged an amused look.

"Well since your mother and I are the parents, we each get two votes. So then the end score would be 4 to 3 in favor of you going back to the hospital."

"That's not fair. That means you two always win." Ella said with a pout.

"Exactly." David said with a smirk.

Emma and Ella looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"Speaking of hospitals and doctor visits, did Regina take you to any of your doctor's appointments?" Snow asked in worry.

"Uh well she took me to the first one and Whale put my leg in a boot." Ella said in a bored voice.

"Did she take you to any others?" Snow asked in worry.

Ella shook her head no.

David narrowed his eyes. "So is that when Dr. Whale told you that you could stop using your crutches?"

Ella bit her lip. He had never told her she could stop using them, but she figured it was okay since he put her in a walking boot. Besides that he did tell her to still use her crutches since her leg wasn't ready to bear all her weight. "Uh yeah, I guess it was."

"So you only went to one appointment when you were with her?" Snow asked.

"Yeah." Ella said.

"Well we are going to have him check your leg when we are there." Snow said firmly with her mind made up.

David nodded in agreement.

"But it's fine." Ella whined.

"We will let Dr. Whale decide that." David interrupted firmly.

Ella grimaced and Emma gave her a sympathetic look. She knew that Ella didn't get permission to stop using her crutches. She also knew that Ella had told her recently that her leg had really been hurting her and she thought she might have re injured it.

Emma wasn't sure how to feel at the moment. She was in the truck with not just her parents or Mary Margaret and David, but Snow White and Prince Charming! Would they be different than their Storybrooke selves or different? They seemed similar, but they seemed to have more silent conversations. They knew what each were thinking without saying anything. She had been watching them. She just felt like it was different now, which wasn't a bad thing.

*****OUAT*****

"I'm thinking once we are done here, we better get some dinner. I'm guessing neither of the girls ate since everything happened." Snow told David as they waited for Doctor Whale to come check on Ella.

"Yeah, I was busy sleeping." Ella said with a smirk.

"And I was busy fighting a dragon." Emma said in a distracted tone.

David, Snow, and Ella all looked at her with surprised looks.

Emma looked up to see their looks. "What?"

"You fought a dragon?!" Ella asked in excitement as the same time as her parents responded.

"You WHAT?!" David asked.

"Are you alright?" Snow asked in concern as her eyes roamed over her body for possible injuries.

Emma's eyes widened. "I'm fine…." She said slowly. "Gold said that their was magic in the dragon that I could use to save Ella, but then he ran off with the egg."

"Wait? There was an egg with magic in it inside of a dragon and Mr. Gold sent you to fight the dragon on your own?"

"Yeah, he said I had to kill it to save Ella." Emma said.

"And you killed it?" Ella asked in excitement.

"Yeah, somehow." Emma replied with a sheepish grin.

"What did you kill it with?"

Emma glanced at her Dad would was looking baffled and anger, most likely angry at Mr. Gold for sending her to fight a dragon on her own. "With Dad's sword." Emma said softly.

"Cool!" Ella said in awe of what her sister did. She had been on an adventure and broke the curse!

"You used my sword?" David said slowly with pride in his voice and Emma nodded. "And you defeated the dragon on your own?"

Emma nodded again.

David smiled, obviously proud of his daughter, but then he looked over at his wife who was glaring at him.

"Are you alright? Fighting a dragon is dangerous. You could have been seriously injured. Where was this?" Snow asked in a voice full of worry.

"I was fine and it was below the library, there's a secret elevator that goes down to the caves."

"I knew it! The mines did have evidence! I was right." Ella exclaimed.

"Yeah, they did." Emma said with wide eyes at remembering seeing the glass coffin. She didn't really like seeing that. She didn't want to think of her mom in a coffin.

"We should down there again and explore." Ella said to Emma.

"Neither of you are going back down there again." David said firmly.

"And neither of you will ever go against a dragon either. It's too dangerous." Snow added.

"Or purposely eat a poisonous apple." David added looking straight at Ella.

"If I hadn't, Emma wouldn't have been able to break the curse…" Ella said in an unashamed look.

"That is true, Dad." Emma piped up with a grin.

David smiled as he shook his head in both frustration and amusement at his girls sticking together. "I still would prefer from now on that both of you not put yourselves in danger."

"I agree. No more dragons or apples. Got it?" Snow asked with a firm look.

Emma and Ella looked at each other with mischievous smiles as just Whale came in the room to start his examine on Ella.


	19. Hospital Visit

A/N: Sorry it's been awhile I haven't had much motivation for writing lately! Hopefully you like this chapter and thanks for the reviews. I am hoping to add in some of your suggestions later on. If you have any ideas, let me know! Enjoy!

Emma and Ella

Chapter 19: Hospital Visit

"Have you been you using your crutches, Ella?" Dr. Whale asked as he started to examine Ella's leg.

Ella cringed. She was between a hard place and rock right now so to speak. If she lied and said yes, her parents would question her. If she told the truth and said no, her parents would find out about her not getting cleared to stop using her crutches.

"She hasn't been using her crutches. She said that you cleared her to stop using them." David said and Ella cringed slightly.

"I did not clear her the last time I saw her. She should have been still using them. I'm going to have to do an x-ray to see how her tibia is healing, but I am worried that she might have re-injured it by bearing weight on it too soon." Dr. Whale said with a sigh.

David and Snow both looked down at Ella with disappointed looks and Ella looked down at the blanket covering her.

"I'll also get an x-ray of her ribs. When we tried to resuscitate her, it looks like we might have broken or fractured one of her ribs. She might be a little sore from the resuscitation attempts." Dr. Whale told them.

Snow nodded, but was looking like she could cry from how close they came to losing Ella. That she had to be resuscitated was just horrible.

David was frowning as well as he thought of how close he had come to losing his daughter that he hadn't even know about until the curse broke.

"A nurse will be in to take her to get the x-rays in a few minutes. I'll be back after she has them with the results." Dr. Whale told them.

"Okay, thanks Dr. Whale." Snow said with a kind smile.

"No problem." Whale answered before leaving the room.

Emma sat in the chair at the side of the room and watched as her parents had another silent conversation over Ella's head. Ella was glancing over at her with a worried look.

Emma gave her a sympathetic look and then looked at their parents before rolling her eyes at Ella. Ella smiled and nodded.

"Ella." Snow said firmly and waited for Ella to look up at her. "Why did you lie to us about your crutches?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders.

"Ella, that's not an answer." David called her out and Ella looked up at him briefly before looking back down.

"I just didn't want to get in trouble for lying before or for not using my crutches." Ella told them quietly.

"Well that didn't work very well, did it?" Snow said with a disappointed look.

"I guess not." Ella mumbled.

Snow lifted Ella's chin so that she was looking her in the eyes. "From now on, we expect you to tell us the truth. No more lying, okay?" Snow said firmly.

"Okay." Ella responded feeling embarrassment about getting in trouble already and that she was getting in trouble with both her parents in front of Emma.

A moment later, a nurse came in and got Ella in a wheelchair to go get her x-rays.

"We'll be waiting here for you. Be good for the nurse." Snow said as she leaned down and kissed her daughter's head. She really didn't like her being out of her sight after everything that happened.

"Mom…" Ella whined in embarrassment and David chuckled.

David kissed the top of her head as well. "We'll see you soon, kiddo."

Ella smiled shyly at him before she was wheeled out of the room.

David then sat down next to Emma and put an arm around her as Snow sat down on the other side her. "So how exactly did you break the curse?"

"I started to believe in it and then when I thought Ella was...dead... I kissed her head and told her I loved her. That's when the curse broke and she woke up." Emma said softly.

David and Snow smiled at her.

"That couldn't have been easy." David said softly.

Emma started to tear up. It hadn't. She thought Ella had died and it had broke her heart. "She died." Emma said in a shaky voice.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. But I'm proud of you." David said before kissing her head.

"I am too, sweetie." Snow said softly as she tucked Emma's hair behind her ear.

"Really?" Emma asked looking between them.

"Yes, sweetie." David answered her softly.

"Of course." Snow put an arm around Emma and Emma leaned her head on her mom.

Emma yawned tiredly as she did.

David smiled at Snow above Emma's head. She had a long day and she was exhausted. They both knew it.

David and Snow stayed quiet to let Emma drift off to sleep for a little nap as they waited for Ella to return. When they knew she was asleep, they started to talk again.

"We are going to have to keep these two close…" Snow said thinking of Regina and King George.

"I know and we will." David said quietly.

"Do you think Regina will try to get Ella again?" Snow asked.

"She better not." David said with frustration. He wasn't too happy about Ella having lived with her for 3 weeks.

"You don't think she hurt her at all while she was there?" Snow asked in worry.

"I hope not." David said quietly after a few moments of silence.

"We should try getting her to open up to us about it." Snow said.

"I knew she was lying to me about her crutches while she was with Regina. I should have talked to Regina or done something." David said in frustration.

"Maybe, but it might not have made a difference anyway." Snow replied.

David nodded, but Snow knew he felt guilty.

"She'll be okay and hopefully learn from this." Snow said with smirk.

David smiled. "Yes, hopefully."

"Do you think they will keep her overnight?" Snow asked.

"I don't think so." David said, hopefully. It would be nice to get his family home.

David and Snow continued to talk quietly as Emma slept leaning on Snow. They figured out where they were going to leave since they had two places. They figured David's place would be a better option seeing as their family was now bigger.

About 30 minutes later, the nurse rolled Ella into the room. Emma was still asleep against Snow so David got up to help get Ella back in the bed.

"Dr. Whale should be in soon with the results of the x-ray." The nurse said quietly to David.

"Thank you." David said sincerely before looking down at Ella. She looked sleepy, but she was trying to stay awake. "It shouldn't be long now."

Ella nodded, but then yawned.

David sat down on the edge of her bed and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Long day, huh?"

Ella nodded.

"Hopefully we will be able to go home soon."

"But what about all my stuff?" Ella asked in worry. All of her things were at Regina's house.

David hadn't thought of that. "Are your crutches there too?"

Ella nodded sheepishly.

"Your mother and I will take care of that. And if you still need crutches, which I guessing you will," David paused with a disappointed look at Ella, "then we will see if Whale can loan you some until we get yours back."

"Ok." Ella said quietly. "I'm sorry I lied to you." She added even quieter as she looked down at the bed.

David smiled softly before lifting her chin to look at him. "You're forgiven, just don't make a habit of it, okay?"

"Okay." Ella said with a smile.

10 minutes later, Whale comes in with the x-rays. Snow carefully sets Emma down so she is laying on the small couch before going over to join her husband and daughter.

"The good news is that she didn't rebreak any of her ribs, but they are bruised and will be sore for the next week or two. The bad news is that she reinjured her tibia and will need surgery to repair it. We can schedule for sometime this week as an outpatient surgery, but until her surgery I want her to be resting her leg or using crutches."

Ella rolled her eyes as she realized that the doctor wasn't even talking to her, but her parents. She didn't like the idea of having surgery. It was scary and would set her back from having the freedom to walk on her own without crutches or someone carrying her.

"We will make sure that she does just that." David replied in a determined voice.

"Good. We don't want to aggravated it anymore than she has already." Dr. Whale said with a look at Ella.

"Should we keep her in bed to rest it?" Snow asked.

"For at least a day and then she can use her crutches, but I would limit that as well. Her leg should be elevated as much as possible. I am going to leave her in the boot for now, but after the surgery I will put her back in a cast." Dr. Whale told them.

Ella frowned. Her mom and probably her dad with the way he was looking, would be keeping her off her leg until the surgery. She doubted she would even use her crutches with her overprotective parents.

"We will keep her off of it. When is the soonest she can have the surgery?" David asked.

"We will have to check the schedule, but I am guessing Monday would be the soonest. You can schedule it with the nurse when she brings Ella's discharge papers."

"Ok, thanks." David said sincerely.

After Whale left, Snow looked down at Ella. "Did you hear what he said? You are to stay off your leg and I think, and I'm sure your father will agree, that you don't even need to be using your crutches."

"I do agree. I'll carry you if you need to go somewhere." David agreed.

"But he said that I could use my crutches some." Ella complained.

"You're right he did, but since it will only probably be a day or two there will be no need to use them until after the surgery." David responded.

"But…" Ella started.

"No more buts, young lady." David said firmly, but not unkindly.

Ella frowned. She didn't like him being firm with her. She wasn't use to it coming from him. If it had come from her mother, she wouldn't feel as funny about it. She wasn't used to having a father scolding her. She hadn't liked it much when David tried to scold her and she didn't like it now either.

"We are only doing this for your own good." Snow said softly just as the nurse came in to give them the discharge instructions and set up her surgery.

Charming and Snow talked to the nurse as she went over the discharge instructions and asked questions about them.

"Alright so the surgery is set up for 8 am on Monday, but she will need to be here by 6 am to get checked it and prep for surgery. She shouldn't eat or drink anything after 7pm the day before the surgery." The nurse instructed them before handing them the pre-operation instructions paper.

"Here is a prescription for pain medicine if she needs it for her ribs, chest, or leg. It isn't a strong pain medication, but it should help." The nurse added as she handed them the prescription slip.

The nurse finished up answering their questions and giving them the papers to take home. She then had them sign the discharge papers. Snow helped Ella get changed into her regular clothes as David woke up Emma. The nurse brought a wheelchair for Ella to ride in to the truck.

Snow smiled at Emma as she walked over looking sleepy. "Oh sweetie. We are going home soon and you can sleep." Snow said as she put an arm around Emma and Emma once again leaned her head against her feeling comfortable and safe. It was nice having a mom now.

"I know." Emma mumbled.

"Alright, Ella. Let's get you in the wheelchair." David said as he picked up a sleepy Ella. She was getting so tired that she didn't even argue about the wheelchair.

"Wait do you have a coat?" David asked as he looked around the room for her coat.

"I didn't wear one." Ella answered tiredly.

"Ella." Snow said with a smirk.

"I was in too big of a hurry to grab one."

"Yeah because you were running to stop me from eating the apple turnover." Emma said with a smirk.

"I didn't run…" Ella said with a sheepish look.

"What do you mean? You totally ran from Regina's." Emma said with a tired chuckle.

"Emma.." Ella whined.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Ella, stop trying to get your sister to take it back. I can't believe you ran on the leg while it was in the boot. No wonder you reinjured it." Snow scolded with a sigh.

Emma grimaced and mouthed to Ella that she was sorry. She hadn't meant to get her in trouble more. Ella shrugged her shoulders as she smiled back, letting her know that she wasn't holding it against her.

"Alright, let's get home." David said with a smile at the exchanged he saw go on between his girls.

David left his wife and girls at the front door to go drive the truck up to the front. He would have asked Emma if she wanted to come with him, but she was still leaning against her mom. He was surprised how open she was being with her and didn't want to interrupt the moment for Snow. He loved seeing how close they already were and he was so excited to start their new life as the family they should have been.


	20. Finally Home

A/N: So I knew I had wrote more for this story awhile ago, but for the life of me I couldn't find it on my computer so I started to rewrite chapter 20. Then of course later I found it so I ended up putting it together so you will get more story from it! I might put a few chapters up this weekend too, just to get what I have out to you! I can only upload about ten pages at a time for some reason so I might just put them up in separate chapters! Here is chapter 20, hope you like it! Enjoy! :) Oh and thanks for the reviews for Chapter 19! Love hearing from you!

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 20: Finally Home**

David drove up and came up to pick up Ella from the wheelchair. Snow started to the truck with Emma.

"Scoot all the way over, sweetie." Snow said before getting in beside her so David could put Ella right beside her. Snow was then in between her girls.

David set Ella in the truck and Snow helped get her seatbelt on.

"I'll just call ahead to get our orders to go so we can go home after we pick the food up." Snow said as she grabbed her phone out of her pocket.

"Good idea." David said as he noticed the girls yawning and leaning their heads against Snow's arms.

After picking up the food, David got back in the truck and drove his family home. After he pulled in the drive and parked, David looked over to see that both Ella and Emma were leaning their heads on Snow and asleep.

"They are both exhausted." Snow whispered with a smile that showed she was happy to have both her daughters.

"Let's get our babies to bed." David whispered back and Snow nodded.

"Emma, sweetie." Snow called softly to her daughter as David went around to get Ella out of the truck.

"Tired." Emma told her as she snuggled farther into her mom.

"I know, that's why we have to get inside so we can get you and your sister fed and then to bed." Snow told her as she unbuckled both Ella and Emma.

David opened Ella's door and picked her up. Ella woke at the movement and opened her eyes.

"Cold, Daddy." Ella complained tiredly.

David grinned big at hearing her call him "Daddy" already. "You'll be warm soon, sweetie."

"I'm glad Emma broke the curse." Ella mumbled as he got her to Emma's room. For now, the girls would share Emma's room.

"Me too, kiddo, me too." David responded seriously.

David set Ella down at the table as Snow walked Emma to the table. They then left them to get the food set out.

"Hey Emma." Ella said softly with a serious look on her face.

"Yeah." Emma replied with a curious look.

"Thanks for saving me…" Ella said softly.

Emma smiled softly. "Well I guess that what I was supposed to do since apparently I'm the savior." Emma teased gently.

"I know, but I am still grateful….and sorry, I know that taking the bite from that turnover put you through a lot." Ella said, knowing that her sister went through a lot to try to save her.

"Hey, you don't have to apologize to me. I would do anything for my family." Emma said with grin. "But I would prefer it if you stay away from anymore apples or sleeping curses…" She added with a grin.

"No problem, I don't like the dark and that place was nothing, but darkness." Ella replied.

Emma smiled before looking back at her new found parents. "This is going to be so weird, having actual parents. I began to lose hope that this would ever happen, well until David came along, but even then I wasn't expecting this to come out of it."

Ella smiled. "I hoped it would and this is turning out better than I ever hoped. Originally, I didn't realize I had a sister, but I am so glad I do."

"Me too." Emma said with a grin.

*****OUAT*****

David set Ella on the chair in Emma's room as Snow and Emma came into the room as well. "Oh we don't have any of her stuff or yours for that matter." David said with a frown.

"It's alright. I'm sure Emma has something Ella can wear to bed and tomorrow I can head over to my place to get some of my things." Snow told him.

"Ella's stuff is going to have to wait though…" David said with a meaningful look.

Ella looked from her mom to dad with a frown. "But my crutches and everything else is there."

David gave her a sympathetic grimace. "We will get your crutches and the rest of the stuff when we can, okay?" He told her.

"I could go get her stuff for her." Emma said softly.

"No. Neither of you will be going anywhere near Regina's house or Regina. Got it?" David asked them sternly.

"Yes, Dad." Emma said quietly.

David turned to Ella with an expectant look.

Ella looked at him with wide eyes. She wanted her stuff and she could probably sneak over there and get her things without Regina even knowing she was there. It would be easier for her to go then her parents to go.

"Ella." David said softly.

"Okay." Ella said even though she was still thinking of getting her stuff herself.

"We mean it." Snow warned both girls. "There will be consequences if either of you even try to sneak out to her house."

Emma and Ella looked up at their mom and knew that Snow White was going to be even tougher than Mary Margaret was.

"Alright, let's get you to ready for bed." Snow said.

David found pajamas for Ella and gave them to Snow before getting some for Emma as well. He handed them to her and she left to put them on in the bathroom.

"Don't forget to brush your teeth, Em." David told her as he left the room with her, leaving Ella some privacy as Snow helped her change for bed.

"I won't." Emma said with a yawn as she went into the bathroom.

*****OUAT*****

"Crawl in bed, kiddo." David told Emma as he set Ella down in bed.

As Emma got in bed, Snow came over to help tuck Emma in and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, Emma. Love you." Snow told her sweetly.

David put a pillow under Ella's injured leg and then pulled the blanket up to her chin before tucking the blankets in around her. "Goodnight, sweet girl. I love you." David told her quietly before kissing her forehead.

David and Snow switched spots.

"Sweet dreams, baby girl. Love you." Snow said before kissing Ella's forehead.

"Goodnight, sweetie. I love you." David told her quietly before kissing Emma's forehead.

David and Snow headed towards the door quietly since both girls were already starting to fall asleep. David turned the lights off, but the left the door cracked open. David then took Snow's hand and lead her to their room.

*****OUAT*****

7:30 am

"How did we not know?" David said as David and Snow stood in the girls' doorway watching them sleep.

"I knew they looked a like, but I didn't think past that." Snow whispered back quietly.

"Me too, but still I feel like I should have realized it." David said with a confused look.

"I think the curse prevented us from really knowing they were our kids, but I know that I felt a special connection with both girls and you. It was like I already knew you and Emma when we meet."

David smiled. "I did too."

"Come on, let's go make some breakfast." Snow said as she pulled on his arm.

David and Snow headed downstairs to make breakfast and discuss their plans for the day. They still had to get Ella's prescription, Snow's things, and Ella's things. They just had a problem. They both didn't want to leave the girls, but they both needed to got to Regina's to get Ella's things. They finally figured it out and decided that Snow would go gather her things and get Ella's prescription before coming home. David and Snow would later go to Regina's when Ruby or Granny would watch the kids. They didn't want to leave the girls, but they also didn't want just one of them to go alone to Regina's even though both were willing to go alone.

David and Snow heard a door shut upstairs and knew the girls were waking up.

"Better get up there before Ella tries walking." David said with a smirk.

"How do you know she hasn't already?" Snow said with a chuckle.

David frowned before hurrying up the stairs. He went into the room and sighed. Ella was still in bed, but awake.

"Good morning, Ella." David said as he came in the room and sat on the side of her bed.

"Morning." Ella told him with a yawn.

"How are you feeling?" David asked as he cupped her cheek.

Ella shrugged. If she were to be honest, she wasn't feeling the greatest. Her chest and ribs felt really sore and her leg was hurting as well.

"Not too good?" David asked seeing that she wasn't feeling good. "Well you are going to rest today and your mother is going to get your medicine in a little bit."

"I don't need medicine." Ella told him quickly.

David smiled softly at her. "Are you hungry?"

Ella nodded her head as Emma came into their room.

"Good morning, Em. Ready for breakfast?" David asked as he looked over at her with a smile.

Emma nodded.

"Good. Your mom and I made pancakes so why don't we head down there." David said as he started to pick up Ella.

"I can walk, Dad." Ella complained.

"But you won't be walking today, will you?" David said with raised eyebrows.

"No." Ella replied reluctantly.

"Good. Now do you need to use the bathroom?" David asked softly.

Ella nodded.

After Ella went to the bathroom, David carried her downstairs for breakfast.

"Good morning girls." Snow said as David carried Ella in as Emma walked ahead of them. She walked over and kissed Emma's cheek before kissing Ella's cheek.

"Morning, Mom." Ella greeted her. She had missed her mom while she had been at Regina's. It was nice to be back with her. It was even nicer to have her whole family now that the curse was broke.

David set Ella on one of the chairs being careful of her leg. "There you go, kiddo." David patted her head before heading towards the kitchen to help get the girls breakfast on the table, as he passed Emma he kissed the top of her head.

She smiled to herself after he did.

"How you doing?" Ella whispered to her sister. "With everything…"

Emma scrunched up her face. "I feel like….I feel like this is just a dream and I am going to wake up… and this all is just going to be just a dream."

"I know." Ella agreed, besides that she didn't feel exactly the same way being that she had believed in it all for a long time. "It's kind of weird having a mom _and_ a dad." Ella whispered back.

Emma smiled. "Yeah it is, but nice."

"Definitely." Ella responded. "It's also nice to have a sister."

"Definitely." Emma said with a grin.

David and Snow brought the food and the family ate breakfast together. Snow and David glanced at each other as Emma and Ella talked about the dragon and the events that happened the day before. They both were finally home. Home wasn't just a house, but it was each other and now it included their daughters. They were finally home and it felt wonderful.


	21. Jealous

Emma and Ella

Chapter 21: Jealous

Emma watched how easily it was for Ella with their mom. She knew that Ella had been with her mom all her life besides the last three weeks, but she couldn't help but be a little jealous of her sister's relationship with her mom.

She had a relationship with her Dad, but it wasn't anywhere near the relationship Ella had with their mother. She wasn't sure if she was ready for a relationship that close with either parent, but eventually she wanted to be close with them and really feel apart of this family. It was all so new to her, but that didn't mean she didn't want it. It just seemed so much easier for Ella to bound with their mom and dad. Unlike her who was a bit awkward with them or at least she felt that way.

Emma watched as Snow was getting Ella settled on the couch after her her Dad set her on the couch. She wanted it all, but it scared her all at the same time. She suddenly felt the need to get some space and fresh air. She started towards the front door.

"Emma, where are you going?" David asked as he came out of the living room.

"Getting something from my room." Emma lied before making her way up the stairs.

"Okay." David said, but saw the look in her eyes. It was the same look she use to get when she first got there. He would have to keep an eye on her in case she decided to run again. She probably just need a little space, but he didn't want her running off again.

Emma got into her room and walked straight to the window. Maybe she would just go get Ella's things from Regina's. It would give her time to breath and help her parents and Ella out. She opened the window and climbed out on the roof before climbing down the trellis.

*****OUAT*****

"Mom? I missed you." Ella told her mom as she was tucking her in. She had watery eyes as she looked at her mom.

"Oh sweetie, I missed you too." Snow said as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "Did Regina treat you okay?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders. "She could be a bit strict and mean, but she didn't hurt me. She didn't want me to talk to you guys and tried to threaten me when sending me away, but I got through it. I just missed all of you."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that." Snow said softly.

"I'm okay. I'm just glad that I am back and the curse is broken so that we can be together." Ella replied.

"Me too, honey." Snow said as she kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Emma!" David yelled from the front door.

Snow frowned and got up from the couch to go see what was going on. Ella wanted to know too so she got up despite what her parents told her.

"What's going on?" Snow asked as she saw David walking back with Emma.

"Emma was trying to run off, but I saw her crossing the yard." David told Snow as they came into house. He then turned to look at Emma. "Where were you going?" He asked.

"Nowhere. I just needed some air." Emma lied. She was already in trouble for trying to run off. They didn't need to know where she was trying to go to.

"Emma, we have talked about this. If you need space, you just have to tell me, but you can't just run off. Now that the curse is broken, it could be very dangerous for you or your sister to be out on your own."

"Your father is right. And it is going to be more dangerous for since you are the Savior and broke the curse." Snow added in.

Neither parent realized Ella was standing behind her mom, but farther down the hall. For the first time since the curse broke, she felt down. She had felt like she had a part of the curse breaking, but it was really Emma. She was the Savior and the one that broke the curse. Not to mention that she fought a dragon and got the magic from it. Did her parents like Emma better than her? She was the oldest and a hero like them. She wasn't a hero or special like Emma was. What if she didn't fit with them?

"Ella! What are you doing up?" Snow scolded her daughter as she turned to see her daughter standing behind her.

Ella looked at her in shock, having got caught off guard.

"You know you aren't supposed to be up." Snow continued to scold her as she walked her back to the couch as David and Emma followed them.

"Just no more running off okay?" David said to Emma as he lead her into the living room.

"I won't." Emma said with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I just got overwhelmed with everything."

"I know, but you can always go to your room or ask to go outside as long as you stay around the house. It's okay to need some space, but you can't just run off." David said softly.

"I know. I'm sorry." Emma replied seriously.

"I know and your forgiven. Now do you need some space?" David asked softly.

Emma shook her head no. She felt a little better now.

"Okay." David said before hugging her to him.

"Alright, now no more getting up, young lady." Snow said before heading upstairs to clean up so she could get going.

*****OUAT*****

"There you go. You two can have a movie day." David said as he put in a movie for the girls to watch.

"Are you going to watch with us?" Emma asked with a frown.

"After I clean up, I'll join you guys." David said with a smile at being wanted.

Snow kissed each of her daughters' heads before saying, "And I will see both of you in about an hour or so. Ella. Remember no walking, you let your father help you."

"I know. I know." Ella said with a roll of her eyes.

"I mean it, Ella." Snow said firmly.

Ella looked up at her. "I know."

"Good, I don't want you hurting your leg anymore than it already is." Snow said. "Alright you both be good for your father and I will see both of you soon."

Both Snow and David left the living room and David showed Snow out. She would be taking the truck since she didn't have her car with her.

"See you soon." David said before he kissed Snow. "Be safe out there."

"I will." Snow said. "Take care of our girls."

"Always."

*****OUAT*****

David joined the girls after cleaning up and sat between them on the couch. "So what did I miss?"

Emma and Ella filled him in on what was going on in the movie "Casper" together.

"Dad?" Emma asked when the movie ended.

David looked down at Emma with a kind smile. "Yes."

"Do you think you could make some of your good popcorn? I'm sure Ella would like it too." Emma said with a puppy dog look.

"It's only 10:00, isn't that a little early for popcorn?" David asked with a smirk.

"No, I think it's the perfect time!" Emma responded.

David turned to a quiet Ella to see that she was looking a bit sleepy. "What do you think?" David asked softly.

"I agree with Emma." Ella responded with a tired smile.

"I figured." David said with a fake grimace.

"Please, Dad!" Emma pleaded.

"Ok, but you need to find a new movie for us to watch." David replied with a smile. He then turned back towards Ella with a concerned look. "Are you feeling okay?" He asked.

Ella looked up surprised. "Yeah, I'm fine."

David narrowed his eyes slightly. "Ok, now the truth please."

Ella looked up in surprise at him pushing her to tell him the truth. "I'm a little sore."

"Ribs or leg?"

"Ribs." Ella responded truthfully.

"Should I get her an icepack?" Emma asked in concern.

"Yeah, that might help." David said with a touched look at his daughter caring so much for her sister.

Emma smiled as she went to go get the ice pack.

"Your mother should be back soon with your medicine which should help you feel better." David said as he put a hand on her knee.

"It's not that bad." Ella stated.

David smirked, "Isn't though? You haven't been very comfortable since you woke up and it's been getting worse hasn't it?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders and David smiled back at her in understanding.

"Here, Dad." Emma said as she held out the ice pack to him.

"Thanks, kiddo." David said as he took it and put it on Ella's side. "Now you relax, sweetie."

David sat back as Emma put the movie in, but then Emma turned back to him with a look.

"Dad….the popcorn…" Emma said slowly.

David chuckled. "Oh yeah, I forgot."

Emma rolled her eyes playfully. "You are getting old, aren't you?"

"Never, young lady." David playfully scowled as he got up and left for the kitchen.

Emma sat down beside Ella. "Is it helping?" Emma asked as she glanced down to the icepack.

"Yeah, it actually is." Ella said with a smile. "Thanks, it was a good idea."

"Anything for my sister." Emma responded kindly.

"I want to try to get my things from Regina's." Ella whispered after a moment.

"Ella, you can't with your leg." Emma stated seriously and knew that since she tried earlier that her Dad would catch her quick with that leg.

"It's not like I haven't gotten places on it before and if I injure it more it really won't be worse then I have already injured it." Ella replied.

"Yeah, but how would you sneak out and back in without Dad knowing?" Emma asked seriously.

Ella shrugged her shoulders.

"I will get your stuff. I can get there and back faster than you can. You can tell me how to sneak in Regina's and where to get your things. We can talk through our walkie talkies." Emma explained because she had been thinking about it.

"Okay, but how do we keep from getting caught?"

"I've been thinking about that." Emma started slowly. "I'll say I'm going to take a shower and you can say you want to take a nap. I'll turn the shower on and you can turn it off a little later. Dad will just think I am in the shower and you are taking a nap." Emma whispered to her quietly.

Ella narrowed her eyes before smiling. "That might actually work."

"I think so." Emma said with a grin.

"When should we try?" Ella said with glance at the doorway to the kitchen.

"Maybe in an hour. It would be suspicious if we did it right now. After I asked for popcorn." Emma answered.

"True."

"What's true?" David asked as he walked in with the popcorn.

Ella was looking at him like a deer caught in headlights.

"That you and mom wouldn't like it if Ella tried walking on her leg." Emma answered quickly.

David frowned as he looked at Ella. "You weren't thinking of walking on your leg were you?"

Ella shook her head no quickly.

"Good because if you need to go anywhere, I can carry you." David added seriously.

Ella nodded her head, but felt like rolling her eyes. He was being very protective, overprotective actually.

"It's ready already?" Emma asked to divert her father's attention away from Ella.

"Yep." David said as he sat down in between the girls.

"Is the ice pack helping, honey?" David asked Ella after he got settled.

"Yeah, it feels a little better." Ella answered seriously.

"Good. Now eat some popcorn before your sister eats it all." David joked which got him a glare from Emma.

Ella giggled and took a handful of popcorn as Emma started the next movie.


	22. Double Trouble

_**A/N: Here is another chapter for you! Thanks for the reviews! I love seeing them on my email! Hope you enjoy Emma and Ella getting in some trouble! Enjoy!**_

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 22: Double Trouble**

One hour and fifteen minutes later….

"I think I am going to take a shower." Emma said after the movie was over.

"Ok, honey." David said without thinking about it.

Emma got up and eyed Ella with a wink when David wasn't watching them. Ella nodded back with a little smile. Now she just had to get her Dad to take her upstairs.

"Um Dad…" Ella said shyly a few minutes later.

David turned to Ella. "Yes, Ella?"

"I am tired." Ella replied bluntly.

David smiled softly with a slightly amused look on his face. "Why don't you take a nap until lunch? You can lay down right here."

"No!" Ella said quickly. "I mean I'd rather sleep in Emma's bed." Ella added quickly.

David smiled. "For now it is your bed too until we can fix one of the other rooms up for you."

"Okay." Ella replied with a smile.

"So you are willingly taking a nap?" David asked as he stood up from the couch and picked her up.

Ella crinkled up her face. "I wouldn't call it a nap."

David chuckled. "What would you call it then?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders. "I'm too old for naps."

David chuckled. "I let you in on a little secret. You are never too old for naps."

Ella scrunched up her face at that. She just didn't like the word nap.

Ella heard the shower going and knew that Emma would have already snuck out. She just had to turn the shower off in about twenty minutes.

David set Ella down in the unmade bed and covered her up. "Have a nice nap, kiddo." David teased with a smirk before kissing her forehead.

Ella rolled her eyes, but then closed them anyway. She was really tired even though she wasn't going to actually sleep. She knew she had to turn off the shower in little while or else David would get suspicious and end up finding out that Emma snuck out.

Ella waited a few minutes before opening her eyes to see that the room was empty. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was 11:20 meaning that in about 10 minutes she had to get up and make her way to the bathroom. She picked up the walkie talkie.

"You on your way?" Ella asked through the walkie.

"Yep. You set upstairs?" Emma asked back.

"Yeah, Dad thinks I'm sleeping." Ella answered.

"Good, don't forget to turn the shower off."

"I won't. Let me know when you are at Regina's. I'll tell you how to get in."

*****OUAT*****

It was easier than she thought it would be to get out of the house and start sneaking to Regina's. She was already half way there and she had no problems. Hardly anyone was on the road.

*****OUAT*****

Snow had got her things from her apartment and a few things that Ella hadn't taken with her to Regina's. She had stopped and got Ella's medicine as well a few groceries that she saw they would need soon.

She started making her way back to David's place when she saw a familiar figure walking down the street with a hood covering some of her blonde curls. She quickly pulled over and got out of her station wagon. "Emma?" Snow called as she started towards the figure.

Emma stopped in her tracks with a heavy sigh. She couldn't run away…so she turned slowly.

"Emma, what are you doing out here? Does your father know you are here?" Snow asked in worry as she closed the gap between them and put a hand on her arm.

"Um yeah, I am just taking a walk…" Emma tried.

Snow narrowed her eyes as she saw the guilty look in Emma's eyes. She knew she was lying and she knew David didn't know she was out of the house, but she didn't realize what Emma was doing until now.

"You are going to Regina's, weren't you?" Snow asked, already knowing the answer.

"I just wanted to get Ella's things for her. I could sneak in and out without her even knowing."

"Em-ma." Snow said slowly. "Your father and I will take care of getting Ella's things. That's not something you need to worry about."

"I just wanted to help." Emma said softly. "And I don't want to lose you or Dad again." She added a little more quietly.

"You aren't going to lose us, Emma." Snow said softly before pulling Emma in for a hug.

Emma nodded into her mom's shoulder.

Snow pulled away with sympathetic smile, "Now let's get home to your father and sister."

"Do we have to?" Emma asked knowing her Dad wasn't going to be happy especially after she ran off this morning.

"Yes, if your father hasn't figured it out yet, he probably will soon and be worried about you. Was Ella involved in this?"

Emma's eyes widened. "Uh no. She was sleeping when I left."

"Ok, let's get home." Snow said, but wasn't sure if she believed Emma or not about Ella's involvement.

*****OUAT*****

Ella slowly got out of the bed and limped her way to the slightly opened door. Once she got there she peeked into the hallway to see it was clear before walking as quietly as she could with her boot to the bathroom. She opened the door and snuck in. She shut the shower off before deciding to use the bathroom while she was there.

She decided to shut the door of the bathroom as she left in case her Dad came up to check on them, she could say she was in the bathroom getting ready.

"What are you doing out of bed?" David asked startling her as she was halfway to her room.

"I..uh…" Ella started to respond before hearing the door open downstairs.

"David?" Snow called in a voice that Ella knew meant she knew what the girls tried to pull. She assumed that Emma had been caught by their mother as well.

Ella grimaced as she stood beside her Dad.

David frowned at his wife's voice and Ella's guilty look, something was going on. "I'm up here…" David called down the stairs.

Ella closed her eyes.

"Ella, are you going to tell me what is going on before your mother does?" David asked quietly.

Ella bit her lip as she chanced a glance up at her father before looking down at her feet. No. No. She couldn't say a thing.

Snow got the the top pulling Emma along by holding her arm.

"What? Emma, where were you?" David asked glancing to the closed bathroom and knowing he heard the shower go off only a few minutes ago.

"She snuck out to try to get Ella's things from Regina's." Snow said. "I caught her walking to Regina's."

"What?!" David roared as he looked at Emma. "So you weren't taking a shower….." David started and then looked at Ella. "And you were turning the water off so it seemed like your sister was still in the bathroom."

Emma and Ella glanced at their father and then at each other. They had been caught and there wasn't any way of getting out of it. They had been caught red-handed so to speak.

"Girls, go on into your room. Your father and I need to talk about your consequences." Snow said as she gestured to their room.

Ella limped to her room as Emma walked behind her. David went to pull the door shut, but stuck his head in first. "Ella, lay back down I don't want you on your leg anymore. We will talk to both of you in a minute." He said before closing the door.

"Crap. We are doomed." Ella said as she sat down on the bed without laying down as she was instructed. She was tired, but she was too worked up to sleep at the moment.

"Pretty much. I can't believe we are already in trouble and it hasn't even been a day yet." Emma said with an eye roll.

"Yeah, I wonder what kind of consequence will get. It's weird having both of them as parents and not just Mom."

"I know what you mean. Dad is a little predictable, but both of them together? I don't know what to expect."

"Neither do I." Ella said with a frown. "So I am guessing you didn't make it Regina's then?"

"No, which hopefully will help. I can't imagine how much trouble we would be in if I actually got your things."

"That's true. They'd be furious."

"Not that they aren't already, but it would be worse." Emma said.

Ella nodded. "I hope they don't ground us. I've been grounded enough."

"Me too." Emma said with a smirk before adding, "but not as much as you."

Ella smiled sheepishly. "I think I should be pardoned for all my sneaking out during the curse since it was all for a good cause."

Emma laughed, but then slapped a hand over her mouth and looked towards the door.

"Technically, I am already grounded since I can't even walk and I'll be having the surgery soon. So I guess it wouldn't be terrible to be grounded, what would suck is if we couldn't watch TV." Ella said with a grimace.

"That's true." Emma said, but right after she did there was a knock on the door and then the door opened before both David and Snow walked in their room.

"Do either of you have anything to say?" David asked softly.

Emma and Ella glanced at each other, not knowing how to respond to that. They both shook their heads no in response.

"We are very disappointed that you two decided to go against our wishes. We told you specifically not to even try to go to Regina's yet, you (Emma) snuck out as you (Ella) covered for her." Snow started firmly.

"Which was very dangerous for you, Emma. If you had gone there and Regina had been there…. we don't know what would have happened, but it wouldn't have been good." David scolded her with a worried look for what could have happened. Emma looked down with a guilty look. "And what you did was very deceitful, Ella. Covering for your sister with turning off the shower and asking to come up here so you could was very deceitful and I don't appreciate it." David scolded Ella with a disappointed look.

Ella blinked back tears after glancing up at her Dad to see his disappointed look. She had never gotten in real trouble with her Dad as her real Dad so seeing him disappointed in her wasn't easy to see.

"We told you that there would be consequences for your actions if you were to disobey us and try to sneak out, that goes for covering for your sister sneaking out too." Snow started.

Emma and Ella glanced at each other nervously.

"First off, you two will be grounded for the week which means no phone, TV, or video games. Second, you will both write an apology letter to your father and I for what you did." Snow told them firmly.

"A letter?" Emma asked in disgust. She normally didn't have to write letters as a punishment.

"Yes, and you will do it." David answered.

"The only exception to your restriction is that if we do something as a family you may be excused from your restriction." Snow added.

Emma and Ella looked confused, but it seemed like a good thing so they didn't question it.

"Now, lunch is ready so we are going to eat and then Granny is coming over to watch you two while we go get Ella's things." David started before going over to Ella. "Then you are to take a nap on the couch and you, Emma, can read and work on your apology letter."

"Do I have to Dad?" Emma whined as Ella looked disgusted at having to take a nap when Granny was watching them.

"Yes, you do." David responded.

"And you will take a nap, Ella." Snow told Ella seeing her look and knowing that she wouldn't want to.

"But Mom…" Ella started in a whiny voice.

"No complaining, young lady." Snow cut her off firmly, ending the conversation. "Unless you want an extra consequence?"

Ella frowned, Emma complained and she didn't get in any more trouble. Why did she only threaten her with more consequences? It was almost like they were still separated. Ella with her mom and Emma with her dad.

David picked Ella up from the bed. "And I don't want you walking anymore."

"But can't I walk a little? It's not like my leg isn't already messed up." Ella whined as he walked out of the room with her.

"You know what the doctor said. You aren't to walk on your leg without your crutches." David reminded her.

"But it couldn't get any worse than it is already…" Ella continued to complain.

"Yes it could. You could fracture it further or even fracture your fibula." David told her as he walked into the kitchen with her.

Ella looked at him in worry. "Could that happen?"

"Yes, that's why I don't want you walking on your leg, okay?" David said in concern.

"Okay." Ella replied as she glanced up at her Dad.

"Good, I don't want you to hurt yourself anymore." David said seriously before kissing her head before setting her down in her chair.

Emma sat down at the table too. "I'm guessing the apology letter came from mom? Dad never made me do that."

"Yeah, that's from mom. The only reason we didn't get chores was because of my leg. Even though, I know mom would find something for me to do if I complain too much."

"She really doesn't like complaining does she? I wonder if I would get in trouble if I complained…." Emma said with a mischievous smile.

"You really want to test her?" Ella asked.

"Yeah, I got to test my limits…" Emma responded with a smile. "You should too with Dad."

"How?" Ella asked curiously.

"With you leg…walking…" Emma said with a smirk.

Ella's eyes widened for a moment. "You think I could get away with it?"

"I don't know, but wouldn't you like to know what you can get away with with Dad?" Emma asked.

 **More to come! :)**


	23. Testing Mom and Dad

**A/N: Here is a chapter to help you with your Monday! I'm working on the next chapter right now, but it won't be out till at least Friday! Hope you like this one! Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows! Enjoy!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 23: Testing Mom and Dad**

Ella thought about what she said, but before she could say anything Snow and David came over with their plates and drinks.

Emma winked at Ella when neither parent was looking. "Why does Granny have to watch us?" Emma whined after a moment.

"You know why. You just snuck out Emma." David said as he continued to put the food out.

Emma frowned, she didn't want her Dad to answer her. She was testing her mom not him.

Ella bit her lip and stood up from her chair to limp away from the table.

"Young lady, sit back down." Snow scolded as she saw Ella walking on her leg.

"I was just…" Ella started.

"No, young lady, no excuses." Snow cut her off.

Ella sat back down with a frown, that didn't go as planned.

"I just don't understand why we need a babysitter? And an apology letter. Why do we have to write that?" Emma complained some more.

David looked at her with a frustrated yet confused look. "Emma, stop complaining." He said firmly.

Emma frowned again and then looked over at Ella. This wasn't working they would have to separate their parents, but they could keep trying.

Emma nodded at Ella to try and walk again.

Ella nodded and when both of their parents were getting things from the kitchen, Ella stood up and made her way to the bathroom to act like she was going to wash her hands.

"Ella Louise!" Snow yelled as she saw her halfway to the bathroom.

"Mom…" Ella whined at getting middle named in front of Emma and David.

"What do you think you are doing? Your father talked to you and I just talked to you, yet you are walking again." Snow scolded her as she came over to her.

"I was just going to wash my hands, mom." Ella replied in her most innocent voice.

David came over and picked her up. "You know all you have to do is ask." David said softly before taking her to the bathroom downstairs to wash her hands before carrying her back to the table. "Now no more getting up." David said softly.

Ella nodded and he backed off. She knew she just got saved from her mother's wrath by her father. She didn't mind that at all.

"We thought that if you two are good with Granny that we could have a family movie night when we get back." David started as they began to eat their lunch.

"But I thought that we were grounded." Emma asked with a confused look.

"You are, but we said we would make exceptions for family time." Snow said with a soft smile.

"What are we going to watch?" Ella asked in excitement.

"That is a surprise." David answered with a smile as he tapped her nose.

Ella smiled shyly.

"Can we get pizza too?" Emma asked with a grin.

"We'll see." Snow answered with a smile.

"We won't stay up too late though since Ella has her surgery tomorrow morning." David told the girls.

Ella looked down at her plate as she remembered her surgery was tomorrow morning. She hadn't really been thinking about it because it made her feel nervous.

"Hey." David said softly as he put a finger on her chin to raise her head to look at him. "Everything is going to be fine."

Ella blinked back tears and nodded.

David smiled at her before removing his finger from under her chin.

"I want to go with her to the hospital." Emma said suddenly. She didn't like her sister having to go back to the hospital so soon after having practically dying in it. She wasn't going to let anything else happen to her sister.

"Emma, there is going to be a lot of waiting around." Snow said softly.

"I don't care. I just want to be there." Emma said seriously.

David and Snow glanced at each other having a silent conversation with each other.

"Ok. You can be there, but you will come a little bit later with me. Ella has to be there at 6, but the surgery isn't until 8 so we will get there around 7:15." Snow told her.

"Okay, as long as I can be there." Emma said in relief.

Ella on the other hand was feeling rather nervous and couldn't eat anymore. She liked that her Dad was going to take her, but she wanted her mom there too. Plus it was just nerve racking having to go back again and have a surgery. Not to mention having to get poked and prodded again. She didn't like being in the hospital.

"Ella, please try to eat a little more." Snow said softly as she noticed Ella hadn't ate much of her food. She needed to eat a little more for her medicine.

"I'm not hungry." Ella said with a frown.

"Sweetie, you need to eat a little more before you take your medicine." Snow told her softly as she stood up and grabbed Ella's medicine from her purse.

"I don't need medicine, Mom." Ella said with a frown as her mom read the instructions on the medicine bottle.

"Yes, you do." David responded with a knowing look.

Ella looked over at him in surprise. "No, I don't."

"You are in pain so yes you do need it." David responded.

"But…" Ella started.

"Ella, your father is right. You need the medicine and you will take it." Snow interrupted her as she set the bottle down and David grabbed it to read the instructions as well. "Now eat a little more please." She added softly.

Ella nodded and tried to eat a little more.

After eating and getting Ella to take her medicine, Snow and David began to clean up.

"Emma, can you help your mom clear the table?" David asked as he went to pick up Ella.

Emma nodded and started to clear the table.

"Come on, Ella, let's get you settled for that nap." David said as he picked her up and brought her to the couch.

"I don't need a nap." Ella whined as he set her down on the couch.

"Hey, I thought your mother told you not to complain." David said with raised eyebrows.

Ella opened and closed her mouth unsure of what to say to that. She didn't think he would be a stickler on the complaining like her mom was, but it seemed he was using it against her which wasn't fair. They were teaming up against her!

"Now get some sleep." David said as he grabbed a blanket to cover her up with.

"I'm not tired." Ella whined.

David smiled softly. "Yes you are. I know you didn't sleep earlier and that medicine will make you a little sleepy so I want you to at least try to rest."

Ella frowned, but nodded anyway.

"Good girl." David said as he patted her knee and got up from the couch.

David headed back into the kitchen and Ella frowned, she didn't want to sleep when everyone was awake. Yes, she was tired, extremely tired, but that didn't mean she would sleep while her family was awake.

After a few minutes, Emma came into the living room. "That didn't work out very well." Emma said quietly as she sat down to "read" like she was told to do.

"I know, but maybe we can still can try." Ella said as she bit her lip. She slowly uncovered herself and pulled her legs off the couch before standing up.

"Oh you have a death wish, don't you?" Emma said with a giggle.

Ella smirked and walked over to Emma.

"Emma, I want you to be…." David said as he came into the living room without look up at first. Then he saw Ella standing beside Emma. "Ella." David scolded.

Ella looked over at her Dad. "I'm not tired." She whined defiantly.

David frowned at her. He just talked to her about this. "Ella, we already discussed this." David said as he came up to her. "And about you being on your leg."

"But its fine." Ella continued to whine, knowing that she was digging herself a whole.

"No it's not." David responded as he was about to pick her up.

Ella backed up to avoid him picking her up. "I don't need to be carried." Ella said as he crossed her arms over her chest. "And I don't need to sleep."

David crossed his arms as well and looked down at her with a stern look. "Ella, it's not an option."

"Yes it is." Ella responded defiantly.

David narrowed his eyes as he realized what she was doing. "Emma, go on in the kitchen with your mother. I need to speak with your sister." David said quietly.

Emma glanced at her sister as she made her way out of the room. This was her chance to test her mom. However, she was worried about what her Dad was going to do to Ella.

"Ella, what is going on?" David asked seriously.

Ella frowned. "Nothing. I just don't want to sleep or be stuck sitting." Ella complained.

"I know it isn't easy, but it is necessary. Your mother and I are just looking out for you." David said softly.

"But I'm fine." Ella continued to argue just to see what he would do.

"Ella, that's enough arguing and whining." David said sternly as Ella just glared at him with a stubborn look on her face. "Come on, back to the couch."

"No." Ella argued back. She couldn't stop now and she really didn't like him being stern with her. Plus she didn't want to keep laying down and she definitely didn't want to take a nap.

"Don't tell me 'no,' young lady." David responded firmly, getting frustrated with her defiant behavior. "I know your mother raised you to be respectful and obedient so I suggest you start listening to me or else there will be consequences you will not like." David warned her.

Ella snapped her head up to look at him in worry.

"Now, you are going back to the couch to take your nap." David said when he got her attention. He put an arm around her shoulders to lead her back to the couch.

Ella knew not to push him any further so she let him lead her to the couch.

"Lay down." David said softly as he got to the couch.

Ella laid down obediently, but had a grumpy look on her face.

"Now I know you don't want to sleep, but if you want to be able to watch the movie tonight then you need to take this nap." David told her softly as he tucked her in with the blanket. "No more getting up either, okay?" David reminded her.

Ella started to pout instead of answering him.

David hid a smile at her pouting like she was, but had to keep up his firm pretense. "You can pout all you want, but you will rest and stay off your leg."

Ella continued to pout, but didn't argue or complain.

David kissed her forehead. "I love you." He whispered before getting up from the couch to go back to the kitchen.

*****OUAT*****

Earlier….

Emma walked into the kitchen and went to Snow's side.

"I thought that you were reading?" Snow said softly.

"Dad sent me in here so he could lecture Ella and get her to lay back down." Emma told her with a shrug of her shoulders.

Snow glanced towards the living room, but knew David could handle Ella.

"Mom?" Emma said.

Snow smiled at hearing her call her Mom. "What is it, sweetie?"

"Do I have write that letter?" she complained.

"Yes you do." Snow said with a firm voice, but not unkind voice.

"But it's so boring." Emma complained again.

"Well it isn't supposed to be fun, it's a consequence." Snow replied.

"Well I don't want to do it." Emma continued to complain as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Snow looked over at her and frowned. She knew she had been complaining a little bit ago and David had talked to her, but it seemed she was at it again. "Emma, we aren't going to change your consequence so you can stop complaining about it."

"But I don't want to do it. This isn't school." She complained.

"Emma, I know that I haven't been your mom for long yet, but you know that I don't put up with complaining when it comes to consequences. You're the one that got yourself in trouble so you need to take responsibility for your actions and face your consequences." Snow responded firmly to Emma.

"But…" Emma tried again.

"Or more complaint and I'll give you something to complain about…" Snow warned losing her patience with her daughter's complaining.

Emma opened her mouth to complain again, but then got a stern look from her mom and knew if she said one more thing she would get chores to do.

"Good choice, now it sounds like the coast is clear so you can go read." Snow said when she knew Emma had decided to listen to her instead of arguing with her.

"Do…" Emma started, but then stopped quickly, realizing she almost complained again.

Snow smiled when Emma walked away without finishing her sentence. It would take some time, but both girls would get use to them parenting them together and apart. She knew that it was new to them, but they would figure it out.

"Your daughter….is stubborn." David said as he came over to Snow, wrapping his arms around her.

"Your daughter is stubborn too." Snow said with a smirk.

"Which daughter are you talking about?" David asked with smile.

"The oldest one, the one complaining left and right since we gave out their punishments." Snow said with a smile. "What daughter are you talking about?" Snow asked even if she knew.

"The youngest one, the one getting up every chance she gets to push my buttons. She even told me 'no.'' David said with a shake of his head.

Snow smiled. "I think our girls are trying to see what they can get away with before we lay the law down."

"I know. I'm afraid that it isn't over either." David said with a sigh, but smiled as well. He loved his girls even when they were being mischievous and stubborn.

"Nope. It's just beginning." Snow said with a smirk before kissing her husband on the cheek.


	24. Don't Mess with Granny

**A/N: Sorry this is late! I will add another chapter tomorrow though! Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 24: Don't Mess with Granny**

"Thank you, Granny for doing this for us. Ella should be sleeping most of the time and Emma is reading or writing. Please don't let either of them watch TV. They are both in trouble for a scheme they tried to pull on us." Snow said to Granny as they were about to leave. They had already warned the girls that if they caused Granny any trouble that they would be in trouble with them.

Granny nodded. "Don't you worry. I can handle your girls after raising Ruby!"

Snow chuckled. "Of course you can."

"Ready?" David asked as he came to her side.

Snow looked torn at leaving their girls without either of them there to be with them.

David noticed her hesitancy. "They will be fine and we will be back soon." David whispered to her as he pulled her to the door.

"I know. It's just…we just got them back and what if something happened while we are gone." Snow told him as they walked out to his truck.

"I know what you mean, but Granny isn't going to let anything happened to them." David told her kindly. He knew how she felt because he was feeling nervous about leaving them too, but he did trust Granny.

Snow chuckled thinking of Granny. "No, she won't."

David smiled as they both got in the car. Granny was definitely fierce and won't let anyone mess with their girls. He was more worried about his girls challenging her.

*****OUAT*****

"Ready?" David asked Snow as he pulled up to Regina's. He had stopped by the library to get his sword that he figured was in the caves below the library. He grabbed it ready to use it if he needed to.

"Ready as I will ever be." Snow said before getting out of the truck to head to Regina's house.

They walked to the front door and knocked on it. It opened after a few moments to reveal Regina.

"What do you two idiots want?" Regina asked with a glare.

"We need our daughter's things." Snow said confidently.

Regina smirked. "I had been meaning to take your daughter away for good. I wish I had now. The little brat managed to help your other brat break the curse. If I had sent her away like had planned then Emma would be in a sleeping curse."

David was seething at her calling his daughters brats and saying that she was planning on sending Ella away and putting Emma under the sleeping curse. "You are lucky you aren't in jail right now. After all you did to this town and our daughters you deserve to be in jail." David told her.

Regina just chuckled evilly. "You just keep those brats away from me."

"We came to get Ella's things not to hear what you think of our daughters." Snow told her confidently.

Regina raised her eyebrows before backing up to let them. "Her stuff is in the room upstairs on the left." She said as she pointed up the stairs.

Snow headed up as David stayed with Regina.

As they waited for Snow to come back down in tense silence, it became extremely loud outside with many people yelling and shouting. Soon their was knocking at the door. Regina rolled her eyes as she opened her door to reveal an angry mob of people with Doctor Whale at the head of it. They were ready to string Regina up and get rid of her for good. David, although he wasn't happy with Regina either, didn't believe that was the right way to deal with Regina and intervened. Snow came down with Ella's things to see what was going on and talked to the people. They were able to calm them down with putting Regina in jail for both her safety and the town's safety.

It was also quickly realized that Regina didn't have her magic since she wasn't able to fight them off or disappear.

After getting her to the jail, they made their way back home to their daughters.

*****OUAT*****

"Emma, don't wake your sister. She needs her sleep." Granny told Emma when she saw her almost wake her sister up.

"But she's been sleeping since Mom and Dad left!" Emma whined. She was bored with only reading and writing her dumb apology letter. She wanted to at least talk to Ella, but no she had to be quiet instead.

"And she is going to sleep until she wakes on her own or your parents come. It's only been an hour and half anyway." Granny told her.

Emma frowned. She really wanted to wake Ella up. She knew she wouldn't mind, but Granny was like a hawk and would see her if she tried. She started to make noises hoping that it would wake Ella, but it didn't seem to make a difference.

She continued anyway, getting frustrated when nothing seemed to work and just shook Ella awake.

"Emma!" Granny scolded as she saw her.

Ella jerked awake. "What's going on?" She asked as she sat up quickly and looked around.

"Finally you are awake! Granny wouldn't let me wake you." Emma said in relief.

"But you did anyway." Granny interrupted with a disappointed look at Emma before turning to Ella. "You can go back to sleep Ella."

"I'm okay. I slept long enough." Ella said despite still feeling tired. She was glad Emma woke her. She couldn't believe she actually fell asleep and fell asleep so soon after her parents left. She hadn't planned on actually sleeping.

Granny shook her head before heading into the kitchen.

"I'm so bored, Ella. Maybe we can convince Granny that we can watch tv. Or better yet, let's not ask, but just turn the TV. Maybe she wont remember that we aren't suppose to watch it." Emma whispered to Ella before getting up and turning the TV on.

Ella opened her eyes wide, but was fine with it. "You really were bored, weren't you?"

"Uh yeah, super bored! I read five chapters and wrote that stupid apology letter. I just couldn't read any more and you were still asleep." Emma complained.

Ella chuckled. "What are we watching?" she asked after a moment.

"Um…how about this?" Emma asked as she landed on a channel playing the show about superman called Smallville.

"Yeah, I like this show." Ella said as she sat up and got comfortable on the couch.

"Me too." Emma said as she pulled Ella's blanket over her lap too.

Emma and Ella started to watch their show without Granny realizing that they were watching it.

"Are you worried about tomorrow?" Emma asked as the show got to a commercial.

"Yeah. I wish I didn't have to have it at all." Ella said with a worried look.

"I know. I hate hospitals and everything that goes with it." Emma said with a sympathetic frown.

"Me too." Ella said with a frown as well.

Granny walked in and sat down on the rocking chair and Emma and Ella exchanged a worried look, but then tried to act like everything was normal.

15 minutes later…

"Why are you two watching TV?" Granny asked when she realized they weren't supposed to be watching TV at all.

"What do you mean?" Ella asked, hoping to throw Granny off so that she would think she heard their mom wrong.

Granny frowned at her. "You two are grounded and your mother told me that you weren't to be watching TV."

"We can still watch TV though." Ella lied.

"Yeah, we didn't get that taken away yet. They just told us that if we got in any more trouble then they would take away TV." Emma added hoping Granny would believe them.

Granny looked between them with a frustrated look. She knew what their mother told her and she knew they were lying to her right now which she didn't appreciate one bit.

Before Granny could say anything the front door opened and the girls panicked because they knew they would get caught both watching TV and lying to Granny.

Emma trying to get the remote to turn the TV off, but Granny snatched it up first with a look that meant they were about to get in trouble.

"We are in here." Granny called to them as she stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips looking at the girls with a frustrated look.

Snow and David came in and frowned at seeing the TV on.

"The girls were just telling me that they could watch TV despite what you told me, Snow." Granny said as Emma and Ella cringed at her telling on them.

"Oh really?" Snow said with a look at her daughters who were looking anywhere, but their parents.

"Yep and here's the remote." Granny said as she handed it to David before looking back at the girls. "If you two ever try something like this again when I'm watching you, you will regret." She warned firmly and the girls looked at her in shock. Weren't Grannies supposed to be nice and let them get away with things?

"Thank you, Granny." David said before looking at the girls. "I think you two have an apology to make to Granny before she leaves."

Emma and Ella both glanced at their Dad and then at each other.

"Uh…sorry Granny." Emma started awkwardly.

"For…" David prompted her.

"For lying to you and watching TV when we knew we weren't supposed to." Emma continued.

"Thank you for apologizing Emma." Granny said.

Snow and David looked to Ella who hadn't spoken up yet with a meaningful look.

Ella noticed everyone, but Emma looking at her and got nervous. She hated apologizing. It was so humiliating and stressful. It was worse when they were told to apologize.

"Ella. Now." Snow said firmly, knowing her daughter pretty well.

Ella frowned with a pout before saying, "sorry."

Snow sighed in frustration. "You can do better than that, young lady."

Ella scowled at her mom which just got her a stern look back that told her she better listen to her before she was in even more trouble. "I'm sorry for lying to you and trying to watch TV." Ella spitted out quickly without really looking at Granny.

Before Snow or David could tell her that she needed to actually look at Granny, Granny forgave her and left the house. Snow and David showed her off after David turned the TV off and brought the remote with him.

"Oh snap. We are in more trouble." Emma said as she leaned her head on her hands.

"I know and I hate apologies." Ella grumbled.

"Me too. It's always embarrassing when they make you apologize like that." Emma complained quietly, not wanting to be heard by her parents causing more trouble.

"I know." Ella grumbled again with a grumpy look. She wasn't in the best mood knowing that her surgery was getting closer and closer. All she wanted to do was forget about it and get herself lost in a show like Smallville, but her parents weren't letting her do that because she helped cover that Emma had snuck out. "This sucks." She muttered just as Snow and David came into the room.

David raised his eyes at her word choice.

"Ella Louise! You don't say that word." Snow scolded her.

"Mom…don't call me that." Ella whined in embarrassment.

David scrunched his face up in confusion at Ella's embarrassment for getting middle named by her mother. He knew he had heard Snow say it before, but he really hadn't thought much about it.

"Oh stop it. I will call you by your full name if I think it is necessary." Snow scolded her with a shake of her head.

Ella scowled at her mom for scolding her again. She was full on grumpy now.

David decided to intervene before Ella got herself in more trouble. "Why did you two watch TV when you knew that you weren't supposed to and knew your mother told Granny about your restriction?" David asked in a disappointed, but calm voice.

"We were bored." Emma replied as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Well she was bored that's why she woke me up so we could do something. And since we can't go outside we decided to watch tv." Ella continued.

"You woke your sister up?" David asked Emma with a frown.

Emma gave her Dad sheepish look. "She had slept for over an hour and I was bored. I would have woke her up sooner if Granny wouldn't have stopped me the first time I tried and then Ella wouldn't wake up when I made noises so I had to shake her awake." Emma rambled in frustration.

Ella scrunched up her face when she realized she just got Emma in trouble for waking her up.

Snow and David sighed as they looked at each other. "We may have to call Granny to apologize for our daughters' behaviors so they she will babysit again if we need her too." Snow said.

"We don't need a babysitter!" Ella whined.

"Enough whinnying, Ella." Snow scolded her. "Neither of us are happy with how you two took advantage of Granny and made trouble for her while we were gone. I think for that we will add some chores to your punishment. I sure that is a lot that can be done around her."

"But Mom…" Ella whined again.

"Ella Louise…" Snow started, but Ella got mad again.

"Don't. Call. Me. That!" Ella practically growled.

"Ella." David scolded firmly at her disrespect for her mother. "I will not have you talking that way to your mother. Fix your attitude or else we will find away to change it for you."

Ella's eyes widened in shock at her Dad scolding her too. She wasn't used to getting outnumbered like that.

"You two will be getting chores and I want no complaining from either of you." Snow said and looked at both of her girls.

Ella wanted to complain, but she looked at her Dad in worry that she would get in trouble with him again and she didn't want that so she didn't say anything.

Emma wanted to complain as well, but after Ella got her head bitten off by both parents she wasn't going to try this time!

"Now no more TV. Emma did you finish your apology letter?" David asked and Emma nodded wanting so bad to complain about the dumb letter she had to write, but refrained. "Then you can do a few chores before dinner." David said.

Snow looked down at Ella. "And you can do your apology letter and it better be better than the one you gave Granny."

Ella frowned at having to do her apology letter now. She knew better than to push her luck and complain about it. When her mom didn't give her paper, she smirked and stood up to get it herself.

"Ella." Snow scolded as she came back in the living room with paper. "Sit back down."

"I was just going to get paper to write the dumb letter." Ella grumbled to her mom, knowing that her Dad was out of the room now.

Snow gave her a frustrated look. "If you don't change your attitude, you won't be seating comfortable. You know better than to be disrespectful to me or anyone else. If I need to remind you, I will."

Ella sat back down and crossed her arms across her chest. She didn't want to do the letter and she was sick of being stuck on the couch! Most of all, she didn't want to have her surgery in the morning.

"You can pout all you want, but this letter will get done." Snow told her as she handed her the notebook and pencil for her to write her letter.

Ella did pout, but didn't talk back to her mom. She knew her mom and knew if she did that she would be getting in bigger trouble which would be very embarrassing being that it would be the first time since they'd been together as a family. She didn't want that.

*****OUAT*****

30 minutes later…

David came in and sat down on the couch by Ella with the book that Snow gave him to give to her.

"Your mom said you can read this." David said softly as he handed her the book.

"Thanks." Ella said softly as she took the book.

David frowned as he saw her down look. "Are you feeling okay?"

Ella nodded without giving away what was bothering her.

David narrowed his eyes as he thought of what she might be worried about. "Are you worried about your surgery?" He asked softly.

When Ella's frown deepened, he knew he was right. "You know that everything will be okay, right?"

Ella nodded. "I just don't want to have it."

"I know, but in order for your leg to heal you need to have it." David told her softly.

"I know." Ella said with a sad look.

David leaned over and kissed her head. "Try not to worry about it, sweetie. Everything is going to be just fine." He told her as he put an arm around her to give her a hug.

"Okay." Ella said feeling a little more relieved by her Dad's reassurances and comfort.

"David?" David and Ella heard Snow call as she came down the stairs.

David kissed Ella's head again. "I better go. Read your book, kiddo." David said with a smile before getting up from the couch.


	25. Celebrating

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows! Here is another chapter for you all! Enjoy!

Emma and Ella

Chapter 25:Celebrating

" _David?" David and Ella heard Snow call as she came down the stairs._

 _David kissed Ella's head again. "I better go. Read your book, kiddo." David said with a smile before getting up from the couch._

"David, I realized I forgot to get the taco shells for the tacos." She said with a grimace.

David chuckled. "I'll go get them. Do you need anything else?"

"Actually, Ella needs a new toothbrush. I forgot to grab it when I got her stuff." Snow told him.

"Taco shells and a toothbrush. Okay, I'll be back in a little bit." David said before leaning in to kiss Snow's cheek.

He started to walk to the front door to grab his keys and jacket.

"Oh and can you get some sour cream too. I forgot that as well." Snow added.

"Taco shells, a toothbrush, and sour cream. Anything else?" David asked.

"No. I don't think so." Snow said seriously and David turned to leave.

"Oh wait! Can you grab some lemonade mix too?" Snow asked seriously.

David tried to hide a smile. "Anything else?"

"No, that's it." Snow said seriously.

David nodded before turning back to the door and opened it. He looked back before he left waiting for Snow to add something else to his growing list.

"What are you waiting for?" Snow asked like she didn't understand why he was waiting.

"Just waiting to see if you needed anything else, dear." David said with a smirk.

Snow narrowed her eyes. "I don't need anything else." She said with her own smirk.

David just gave her a charming smile before leaving the house to go to the store. Snow only ended up calling him twice with things for him to add to his list.

*****OUAT*****

"I'm done dusting the living room." Emma said as she walked into the kitchen. Snow had been giving her odd jobs around the house.

"Alright, do you want to help me with dinner?" Snow asked kindly.

"Sure, but I'm not that good at cooking." Emma said with a weary look.

"Then I'll teach you." Snow said with a kind smile.

"I think I might be a lost cause when it comes to cooking, but you can try." Emma told her with a grin.

Snow chuckled. "I doubt that."

"You'll see." Emma said with a chuckle.

Snow smiled softly at her before starting to teach Emma how to make tacos. She gave her the easy jobs that she couldn't really mess up. "Now we just have to wait for your Dad to get home with the taco shells and sour cream."

"What are we drinking?" Emma asked.

"Oh your Dad is getting some lemonade for us to make which I surprised he isn't here yet." Snow said as she picked her phone up to call him again.

" _If you are calling for me to get something else, I already left the store…." David said with a chuckle._

"No. I just was wondering where you were." Snow said with a shake of her head.

" _I just pulled into the drive. Can you send Emma out to help with the bags?" David asked._

"Sure. Emma go out to help your Dad with the bags." Snow told her as she was on the phone with her husband. "She's coming. See you soon." Snow said before hanging up on him.

David and Emma came back in the house a minute later.

"You hung up on me." David said with a fake frown.

"Oh stop it. You were already here." Snow said with a smile.

David smiled. "We have one more trip to make."

"What? What all did you get?" Snow asked in surprise and David look back at her with an amused look.

"Just what you asked me to get, honey." David responded with a charming smile.

Snow narrowed her eyes in confusion. "It wasn't that much…"

"Not at first, but when you kept adding to the list…." David trailed off with a smirk.

Snow glared at him playfully. "I can't help if we needed stuff."

"What did you get at the store earlier?" David teased her.

"Everything else we needed." Snow said confidently.

David chuckled as he guided Emma back outside to get the rest of the bags.

David and Emma brought in the rest of the bags to set on the counter.

"Emma, why don't you go see how Ella is doing?" Snow said thinking that she had been rather quite in the other room. David started to put everything away as Snow finished getting dinner ready.

"She's sleeping." Emma told them as she came back into the kitchen.

"No wonder she was quiet." Snow said to herself.

"Earlier she was a little worried about her surgery tomorrow." David told Snow quietly.

Snow frowned. "I wondered if she was thinking about it."

"Yeah. I'm thinking that we should go ahead with our plans tonight. It might be good for her to get her mind off of it for awhile." David told her as Emma set the table.

"I agree. Plus we could use with a celebration for being together again." Snow said with a smile.

"Yes, we could." David agreed.

*****OUAT*****

Snow pulled Ella's book from her hands as she lay sleeping on the couch. She smiled at how peaceful she looked sleeping before she shook her shoulder to wake her. "Ella, sweetie, wake up." Snow called to her.

Ella woke up slowly and looked around in confusion. "What…what time is it?"

"It's time for dinner." Snow said kindly as she smoothed out Ella's hair with her hand.

"What are we eating?" Ella asked.

"Tacos." Snow told her with a smile.

"I love tacos!" Ella said with a smile.

"I know you do." Snow said with a grin, but then turned her head to call for her husband. "David?"

"Yes, dear." David said with a smirk.

"Can you carry Ella to the bathroom to wash her hands?" Snow asked.

"I can walk, Mom." Ella said seriously. She didn't want to bother him just to wash her hands.

"Of course." David answered Snow ignoring Ella's response.

"I know you can, but your Dad is still going to carry you." Snow told Ella.

David leaned down and scooped Ella off the couch to take her to the bathroom and then to the kitchen table.

"There you go, kiddo." David said as he set her down on her chair and kissed her head.

"Thanks, Dad." Ella said with a shy smile.

"Your welcome, sweetie." David responded kindly.

*****OUAT*****

"We're watching a movie?!" Emma asked in excitement, but confusion as well. They were grounded with no TV and they had just got in trouble for watching TV when Granny was babysitting them so she didn't understand why they were going to watch a movie! Not that she minded at all!

"Yes, we told you that if we did something as a family then we would allow you to do it as well. We did consider taking it away after your little stunt, but we wanted to celebrate being together as a family finally." Snow told the girls as they finished eating their dinner.

"What are watching?" Ella asked just as excited.

"We are watching a movie called the Mighty Ducks." David told her. "We know that neither of you have watched it so we thought it would be a good movie for us to watch together."

Emma scrunched up her face in uncertainty. "Is it about actual ducks?"

David chuckled. "I don't think so."

"Good because that sounds a little boring to me." Emma responded seriously.

"Me too." Ella agreed wholeheartedly.

Snow and David just chuckled at their daughters. They were glad that they were finally behaving and having a good time. It had been getting a bit frustrating with them getting in trouble earlier so it was nice to have break from their bad attitudes and behavior.

After a few more minutes they were all done eating and ready to start cleaning up.

"Emma, why don't you start clearing the table with me?" Snow said as she handed David Ella's medicine bottle.

David shook his head at her pushing him to give Ella her medication. He saw what she did. She just smiled at him knowing what she did too.

David got out the proper dose for Ella. "Alright Ella, time for your medicine." David said as he handed her the two pills.

For once, Ella took them without complaint to the surprise of both of her parents. David smiled at Snow in victory and she shook her head as if to say that it didn't count as a victory since she didn't cause him any problems.

*****OUAT*****

David set Ella down on the couch next to her sister before putting the movie in. Snow sat down on the other side of Emma so David ended up sitting on the other side of Ella.

"So this is a movie about ducks?" Emma asked with a frown.

"It is a hockey team that is called the Mighty Ducks. It looks like a good movie." Snow told her.

"If we like it, there is actually two more movies that come after it." David told his girls.

"Are we watching all of them tonight?" Emma asked in excitement.

"No, sweetie. We all have to get to bed early tonight especially Ella." Snow told her softly.

David saw Ella's frown in worry so he put his arm around her shoulders and gave her shoulder a little squeeze. "We can watch them another day." David said softly.

"Okay." Emma said cheerfully.

David grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over Ella. "Are your ribs bothering you at all?"

"Just a little." Ella said truthfully as she leaned back against the couch.

"Your medicine will kick in soon and help you feel better." David told her.

Snow grabbed another blanket for her and Emma to share.

"Ready?" Snow asked once they were all situated.

"Yes!" Emma and Ella both responded.

"Alright, here we go." Snow said as she pushed play.

*****OUAT*****

The girls really seemed to enjoy the movie as they giggled and laughed during the funny parts. Snow and David loved to hear their laughter and see them enjoying themselves.

When the movie was half over, Ella started to lean against David without realizing it. David exchanged a look with Snow. They both could see that she was getting sleepy from her medicine and may not quite make it through the movie.

Snow started to watch the movie again, but then felt Emma's body shift towards her before she felt Emma lean her head against her shoulder. Snow smiled and reached over to hold on to Emma's hand. She kissed her head before turning her attention back to the movie, but kept ahold of Emma's hand.

As the credits started to roll, David looked down to see that Ella was asleep against his arm. "I think its bedtime." David whispered to Snow and Emma.

Snow smiled lovingly at her husband and daughter. Ella had curled up so she was facing David instead of the TV as she slept. "Yes, it is."

"Can't we stay up a little longer?" Emma asked with a frown.

"No, we all have to be up early tomorrow." Snow said softly. "Especially Ella."

"Okay." Emma said knowing that Ella did have to be there pretty early.

"Why don't you head upstairs and get changed and ready for bed?" David said as Snow turned off the TV. David pulled the blanket off of Ella before slipping his arms under her knees and back to pick her up.

Emma got up and walked upstairs to do what she was told. She wouldn't admit it, but she was tired and a bit worried about her sister's surgery.

David carried Ella upstairs and Snow followed him up. When they got to the room, Emma was already in the bathroom brushing her teeth. David set Ella down on the bed just as just opened her eyes to look sleepily at her parents.

"I fell asleep?" She asked them tiredly.

Snow nodded her head, "Yes, but it's okay."

"But I…. but I wanted to see the ending…" Ella whined tiredly.

"You can re-watch it another day." David said with a soft smile.

Snow grabbed Ella's pajamas and walked back over to Ella.

"Let your mom help you get changed. I'll be back to say goodnight." David said before leaving the room.

Snow helped Ella change before helping her to the bathroom to brush her teeth and use the bathroom. David then helped her back to the room. Emma was already in bed by the time they got Ella in bed.

"Alright girls, sleep well." David said kindly to both of them before leaning down to kiss Ella's head and then Emma's head.

Snow pulled Emma's blanket up to her chin before kissing her cheek. "Goodnight, sweetheart." She told her before getting up to go to Ella's side.

Snow could see the worry in Ella's eyes over the surgery that was the next day. "Don't you worry about your surgery, sweetie." Snow told her softly as she tucked some hair behind Ella's ear.

Ella looked up her mom with sad eyes. "I'm scared, Mom." Ella whispered to her.

"I know, but everything is going to be fine. They will fix your leg and it will be done before you know it." Snow told her gently.

Ella nodded little more relaxed and Snow kissed her cheek. "Sleep, sweetie."

"Night, Mom." Ella mumbled.

"Goodnight, honey." Snow said gently before getting up from the bed as Ella closed her eyes.

When David and Snow left the room and closed the door, Emma looked over at Ella.

"Hey, you don't have to worry about tomorrow, I won't let anything happen to you." Emma told her sweetly.

Ella smiled. "Thanks, Emma."

Emma smiled too. "Goodnight, Ella."

"Night, Emma." Ella responded kindly.


	26. Surgery Part 1

**A/N: Another chapter! Hope you like! Thank you for the reviews! Love hearing that you are liking my story, makes me want to keep it up for you! Enjoy this chapter!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 26: Surgery Part 1**

Monday 5:30am

"I better get Ella up and ready. You need to leave soon with her." Snow said as she got up from the bed. "Emma and I will come a little later, but keep me updated."

"I will, but she will be fine." David reassured her as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I know." Snow said, but she couldn't help but be worried since her daughter would be going into surgery in a little over two hours.

"I'm worried too, but she will be okay." David said softly before kissing his wife.

As they pulled apart, David smiled. "I'm glad you are waking her up. I assume she is hard to wake up like Emma is."

Snow smiled. "Come on. See for yourself."

David chuckled, but came with her to wake Ella.

They went into the girls' room. Snow pushed David in front of her to wake Ella. David smirked.

David shook Ella's shoulder gently. "Ella." David said softly.

He was amazed when she didn't even stir. He tried again, but she was still dead asleep.

He turned to Snow with a bewildered look.

"It takes a little while." Snow whispered quietly with a smile.

"Come on, Ella. Wake up, honey." David tried again as he shook her shoulder again.

Ella groaned, but didn't open her eyes.

"Ella, you need to wake up." David continued.

Ella opened her eyes, but then closed them to try to go back to sleep.

"No, honey. You have to wake up." David said with a quiet chuckle.

She shook her head no.

"Yes." David said as he started to pull her blankets off of her.

"No." Ella said grumpily as she pulled them back to her.

"Ella." David scolded as she pulled them off of her again and she whined. "Come on, sleepyhead, you have to get up." David said as he picked her up.

"No." Ella grumbled again as David carried her to the bathroom to get ready. Snow was following with the clothes she had picked out for Ella to wear to and from the hospital.

"Yes. Remember, your surgery is today." David reminded her.

"It's too early." Ella whined, but she was scared about the surgery.

"I know it is." David said before setting her down carefully. "Your mom is going to help get you dressed."

"I can do it myself." Ella mumbled with a frown.

"I'm still going to help you." Snow said as David shut the door after leaving.

Ella frowned and then yawned. She was too tired for all this.

"Come on, Ella. Let's get you dressed." Snow said softly as she started to help her daughter.

When Ella was ready, Snow opened the door and David came over to pick Ella up again. Instead of complaining, Ella just laid her head against him and closed her eyes again.

David and Snow just smiled softly at her before David carried her downstairs as Snow followed. Snow got her coat and helped her into it even though she kept her eyes closed.

Snow kissed Ella's cheek when David was holding her about to leave. "I love you, sweetie. I'll see you soon. Be good for your Daddy." Snow said.

Ella looked sadly at her mom. "I don't want to have surgery."

Snow frowned. "I know, honey, but you won't even realize it's happening so before you know it will be all over."

"What if something happens to me?" Ella asked.

"We aren't going to let anything happened to you, baby. You are going to be just fine." Snow told her softly before kissing her head again. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Mommy." Ella whispered back.

Snow smiled softly. She loved hearing her say "mommy." She wasn't sure exactly how both girls would react after the curse broke, but she wasn't necessarily surprised that Ella took very well to them being her parents, especially her. It was Emma that she worried about.

"Bye Snow." David said before leaning down to kiss her. "I'll take care of her until you get there."

"I know. I'll see you soon." Snow told her before David left the house with her.

*****OUAT*****

5:55 am

David set Ella down in the waiting room and kissed her cheek quickly. "I'm going to go sign you in and be right back, okay?"

Ella looked over at the desk and back at her Dad to say, "okay" in a quiet voice.

David smiled softly before heading to the desk to sign her in.

"I'm here to sign my daughter in for surgery." David said feeling pride in calling Ella his daughter. He was overjoyed that he not only had one daughter, but two!

"What's her name?"

"Ella Blanchard." David said realizing that their family had three different last names.

"Ok. I just need you to sign this form and then they will come get her in a little bit."

"Thank you." David said as looked at the form and then signed it before handing it back to the secretary.

David then walked back to Ella and sat down beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Everything is going to be fine." David told her softly before kissing the top of her head.

Ella was still worried, but didn't say anything.

"Close your eyes, sweetie. It might be a few minutes." David told her softly as he gently pushed her head to his chest so she was leaving against him.

Ella didn't mind. She was exhausted and being close to her Dad was helping to calm her nerves. She closed her eyes and just listened to her Dad's heart beating steadily. Her dad started to rub her back and knew she would be asleep if he kept doing it.

20 minutes later…

"Ella?" A nurse called with a clipboard in her hands.

David started to get up, but Ella grabbed on to his arm before he stood all the way up.

"Daddy I don't want to go." Ella pleaded.

David sat back down and gently moved a strand of Ella's brunette hair out of her face. "Everything is going to be fine. I promise you."

"Okay." Ella said, she trusted him.

"Ready?" David asked her softly and she nodded.

David picked her up and took her over to the nurse.

"She's right here." David said to the nurse.

"Good Morning Ella." The nurse greeted Ella kindly.

"Morning." Ella responding respectfully, but quietly. She was taught by her mother to be respectful and most of the time she was.

The nurse took them to bed in a cubicle with three walls and a curtain for a fourth wall. David set Ella down on the bed. "She'll first need to change into this gown." The nurse told David before leaving and closing the curtain behind her.

"Ok, sweetie. Do you think you can get started on your own?" David asked softly, knowing she might need some help.

"Yeah." Ella said with a bit of embarrassment. Her mom being there for this part might have been better.

David smiled softly at her before saying, "I'll just step out for a few minutes and be back to help you."

Ella nodded.

David left and Ella was able to get changed into the gown. Snow had planned ahead and made sure Ella could easily get in and out of the clothes she picked for her to wear.

"Ready kiddo?" David asked from the door.

"Uh huh." Ella mumbled as she messed with blankets on her bed.

David walked over and made easy work of covering her with the blankets.

David noticed she seemed anxious as she laid in the bed looking around her at the room. "Hey." David said as he gently moved her head to look at him. "It's going to be fine. You will sleep through it and it will be done."

Ella nodded and relaxed a little.

"Why don't you close your eyes for a little bit? It might be a few minutes until they come back." David told her softly as he took her hand and gently squeezed it. He knew she was tired and worried.

*****OUAT*****

6:50 am

"Emma." Snow called as she shook Emma's shoulder gently.

Emma groaned before opening her eyes to look sleepily at her mom.

"Come on, sweetie, if we want to see Ella before she goes into surgery we need to get ready." Snow told her softly as she patted Emma's arm.

Emma popped up suddenly. "Are we late?!" Emma asked in fear that they would get there too late.

"No, but you need to start getting ready so we can get there in time to see her before she goes in for surgery." Snow told her.

"Ok, I can be ready in 5 minutes!" Emma said as she jumped out of bed.

"Whoa, honey. You don't have to rush, we just have to leave in 25 minutes." Snow said with a chuckle.

"Oh I'll be ready before that!" Emma said as she ran to the bathroom.

*****OUAT*****

Ella tried to sleep, but her nerves were getting the best of her and she couldn't fall asleep. Before she knew it, the nurse was coming in to do her vitals.

"Now we just need to put in a IV." The nurse said softly and Ella cringed. She had an IV before, but she hadn't been awake when they put it in. She had ripped it out though.

Ella tried to hide her arms without even realizing what she was doing.

David noticed her tense up right away at the mention of an IV and knew she was scared. He ran a hand down her hair before settling it on her shoulder. He gave her shoulder a little squeeze before leaning down to whisper, "it will be over before you know it, honey."

Ella looked up at him with a scared look. "But I don't want it…"

"I know, but it's necessary." David said sympathetically.

Ella frowned as the nurse pull her arm out from the blankets to start to look for a good vein to use. She fought the urge to yank her arm back.

"Hey, kiddo," David said softly to get Ella's attention. She turned to look at him again. "What kind of ice cream do you like?"

Ella scrunched up her face in confusion, but answered him. "Mint chocolate chip…"

"Maybe we can get some after all this done. Would you like that?" David asked softly as the nurse put the tourniquet around her arm.

Ella nodded her head with a little smile.

"Ok this may sting a little." The nurse said as she cleaned the area with an alcohol swab.

Ella started to look at her arm before she felt her Dad's hand bringing her face to look at him.

"Don't look, sweetie." David said softly. "Have you had an IV before?"

"Yeah, but I wasn't awake when they put it in. I just pulled it out after." Ella said with a little smile before she felt the prick and winced.

"Please don't pull this one out." The nurse said with a smile.

David smiled, "she won't, I promise."

Ella just smirked, she wasn't promising anything.

David frowned at her mischievous smirk. "Right, young lady?"

Ella looked up at him with a sheepish look. "I guess."

David frown deepened as he kept looking at her.

Ella got a little nervous at his stern, expectant look. She quickly realized he was waiting for her to amend her answer. "I won't take it out." She said softly.

"You better not or else you will be in trouble." David said seriously.

Ella looked away with a frown for getting scolded in front of the nurse.

"All done." The nurse said to Ella before turning to David. "The doctor will be in to talk with you and get her boot off her leg."

"Thank you." David said with a smile as he stroked Ella's hair with his hand without thinking about it.

When David looked back down at Ella, she was looking at the IV in her arm with worry.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" David asked her softly as he kept playing with her hair.

She shrugged her shoulders before looking up at him. "I don't want to have surgery."

David tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "I know, sweetie." He said sympathetically.

Whale came in and talked about the surgery before taking off the boot.

"Now, I don't want you moving or trying to walk on your leg while it's out of the boot." Whale told her.

"I won't." Ella said knowing that her Dad wasn't about to let her.

"Good." Dr. Whale said. "When it is time for the surgery, a transport team will come to take her."

"How long will the surgery take?" David asked.

"It normally takes about three to four hours. When she's in recovery, one of you can sit with her until she wakes up."

Ella was freaking out as they talked about her surgery. She hated the idea of them going into her leg to fix it! She didn't like the idea of getting put to sleep or not being with her parents. She definitely didn't want them to come and take her away for surgery. That was just getting too real!

"Thank you, Dr. Whale." David said interrupting Ella's thoughts.

Dr. Whale left and David's phone began to ring. Ella watched him answer it and knew her mom and Emma were there. That made her feel a little better, but also nervous at the same time because that meant it was closer to the time of her surgery.

"Ella." David called for the third time.

Ella looked at him with confused look. "Huh?"

David smiled at her softly. "You were miles away…."

"I was just thinking." Ella responded.

"Oh. Your mother and sister are here. They are finding their way here." David told her kindly, seeing her nervousness.

Ella smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes because of her stress over her surgery.

David leaned down and kissed her head. "They will be here soon." David said softly.

 *****I'll try to put the next one out tomorrow :)**


	27. Surgery Part 2

**A/N: Here is a chapter to end your Monday with! Hope you enjoy! :)**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 27: Surgery Part 2**

10 minutes later…

"Hey sweetheart." Snow said as she made her way to Ella's side and hugged her as she kissed her cheek. "How's my girl?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh sweetie. Everything is going to be just fine." Snow told her as she took her hand in hers. "Don't you worry about it."

"Ok." She responded with a small smile.

Emma came up to the side her Dad was on. "You got the boot off?"

"Yeah, but they still won't let me walk on it." She joked.

David and Snow stepped back for a moment to talk.

"She's really nervous." David told her quietly.

"I can tell." Snow said as she looked back at Ella with worried look.

"Whale said the surgery could take three to four hours and one of us will be able to sit with her when she's in recovery. If you want to you can." David said knowing that she would want to and maybe Ella would be more comforted with her there instead of him. She still hadn't known him as long as her mother.

"Or we could take turns sitting with her." Snow said knowing David was feeling inadequate when it came to their youngest daughter even though he was great with her despite their lack of history. She felt similar when it came to Emma, but it would all change as they got to know each other and grew closer as a family.

"Are you sure she wouldn't be more comfortable with you?" David asked worriedly.

"I think she will just be glad to have one of us there. And I think she is more comfortable with you then you realize." Snow said with a reassuring smile.

"Thanks, but I still think…"

"David, don't sell yourself short. You do great with both girls."

"If I do so great why is she still so nervous?" David asked.

"Because she's scared and no matter what we say it isn't going change the fact that she is having a surgery. She's going to be somewhat nervous." Snow told him softly with a small smile.

"I don't like her being scared and nervous." David practically pouted.

Snow chuckled, "neither do I, but she'll be okay."

"I know." David said with a sigh.

"Did he tell you how long her recovery will be?" Snow asked as she looked over to Ella and then her leg which was uncovered showing how pale and dry the skin was. It also looked smaller than if had before.

"No not yet." David responded.

"I'm guessing it will take quite a while since she's getting surgery." Snow said.

"I know and she's going to need some physical therapy for sure. Her muscles in her leg are already atrophied." David said as he looked at her leg too.

"I know, that worries me, but Dr. Whale knows what he is doing." Snow said.

"I know." David said.

"Dad?" Ella asked softly from her bed.

David and Snow walked back over to the bed.

"What is it?" David asked softly.

"I'm thirsty." Ella said, basically asking for a drink.

"I'm sorry sweetie, but you can't drink anything until after your surgery." David said softly.

"Oh, surgery sucks." Ella mumbled.

"Ella." Snow scolded as David tried to hide a chuckle. "We don't say that word. We know it isn't fun, but it's necessary."

"I wish it wasn't necessary." Ella grumbled.

"We do too, but it became necessary when you didn't follow the doctor's orders. This time however, you will be following the doctor's orders so that your leg heals properly." Snow said not unkindly, but firmly.

Ella looked down feeling guilty and feeling like she was a burden since she put herself in this situation. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, just don't use the word again, okay?" Snow said softly.

Ella blinked in confusion. She wasn't apologizing for saying that word. She was apologizing for getting into this situation and being a burden to them. "Ok."

"Good." Snow said softly unaware of what Ella was really saying sorry about.

"I hate hospitals." Emma told Ella as she looked at her IV. "But I do know how to take one of those out…"

"Don't you dare even think about it, either of you." David said sternly.

"I wasn't going to, geez Dad, calm down." Emma said with a smirk.

David calmed down some and smiled as he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I wouldn't put it past you two to do something like that."

Emma and Ella looked at each other and smiled. He was right. They would do something like that, especially if their parents weren't watching.

"Here why don't you two play a game of cards while we wait." Snow said as she grabbed a deck of cards from her purse as David set the table over Ella's bed. Emma got up on the edge of the bed and took and cards from their mom.

Ella didn't really want to play cards, but she figured it would keep her mind off the surgery a little.

40 minutes later….

Dr. Whale and two transporters came into the room. Ella tenses up immediately. She didn't want to go. She was too scared to leave her family.

Ella looked at Emma. "Don't let them take me." Ella whispered to her desperately.

Emma understood and nodded before getting up to block them from getting to her and her IV pole.

"Ella they are going to take you to surgery now." Snow said as she came over to the other side of Ella's bed with David.

"She's not going anywhere." Emma said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Emma, she is going to be fine and she needs this surgery." David said, knowing she was just being protective of her sister.

"I don't want it." Ella said as she looked up at her Dad, on the verge of tears.

"But in order for your leg to heal properly, you need this surgery. If it wasn't necessary, we wouldn't make you have it." David told her softly as he took her hand and squeezed it.

Ella began to cry softly at knowing they weren't going to let her get out of this surgery.

"You just have to trust us that everything will be fine." Snow said as she stroked Ella's hair.

"But I don't wanna go…" Ella cried harder.

Snow kissed Ella's forehead. "You're going to be fine, baby. Before you know it, you will be waking up and it will be all done. I promise."

"We have to take her now." Whale said interrupting them.

Ella was freaking out by now and couldn't stop the tears.

"We will see you when you wake up, Ella." Snow said as she kissed her again before backing.

David wiped away some of her tears with his thumbs. "I love you, sweetie." David kissed her forehead. "It will be over before you realize it."

"Don't make me go…" she cried desperately.

"It's going to be okay." David told her gently.

Ella grabbed on to his arm. "No, don't let them take me!"

"Honey, they have to take you so that they can fix your leg." David tried, she was breaking his heart at her tears. He knew she was terrified, but she had to do this. It wasn't an option. But on the other hand, she was so scared that he wanted to just wrap her up on his arms to comfort her and make her feel safe.

Snow walked up and pried Ella's hand from David's arm. "I know your scared, but you have to do this. You have to be brave for us. We will see you soon." Snow said as she pulled David from Ella and moved back from the bed.

"No! No!" Ella yelled with tears as they moved away. She then saw the men and Dr. Whale start to come towards her so she turned to Emma in fear that she would abandon her too. "Please help me, Emma." She cried out desperately.

Emma was still blocking the transport guy from getting to Ella's IV pole.

"Excuse me, young lady." The man said kindly.

"No! You aren't taking her anywhere." Emma responded stubbornly.

"Emma, move out of the way. David said from the other side of bed.

Emma looked at him. "No."

"Emma Ruth, now." David said sternly.

The transport guy tried to get around her, but Emma kicked his shin as hard as she could.

"Ow!" The man yelled."

David was already on his way over to move Emma out of the way when the man yelled.

"You can't take my sister!" Emma yelled at the man just as David came over to them.

"Emma, that's enough. You aren't helping your sister, but hurting this man." David said to her before pulling her over to him.

"No! I am helping her!" Emma yelled as she struggled to get back to Ella, but her Dad was stronger and got her into a safe hold. "Let me go, Dad!" Emma yelled as she tried to wiggle her way out of his hold, but she couldn't.

"Don't make me go, Mom!" Ella cried out as well, but to her mom this time as the men started to take her out of the room.

"Dad! She doesn't want to go!" Emma yelled as she tried to get out of his hold to help her sister.

"You'll be fine, Ella." Snow said with watery eyes.

"Daddy? Don't want to go, don't let them take me!" Ella tried again with tears streamed down her face.

"Dad! Help her!" Emma yelled desperately as tears began to follow down her face too. She hated seeing her sister so upset.

"We will see you soon, kiddo." David said gently, knowing that wasn't what she wanted to hear. When she started to cry harder, his heart broke even further. He knew she would be fine, but she was so terrified and he hated to see her so upset.

"Dad, you can't just let them take her!" Emma cried out as Ella was almost out of the room.

"Emma, she will be fine. She needs this surgery." David told her as he held her as she tried to get out of his hole to stop the men from taking Ella.

"She doesn't want it! She's scared!" Emma cried in worry of her sister.

"I know, but she will be okay." David said.

"She's crying!" Emma cried out.

Snow made her way to Emma and David. She stood in front of Emma. "Hey, she needs this surgery and we wouldn't let her go if she wasn't going to be okay." Snow said softly to her as she tucked her blonde hair behind her ear.

"But she's upset.." she whispered in an upset voice as she settled down in David's arms.

"I know." Snow said softly.

"I don't like her being sad." Emma continued.

"We don't either." Snow said as she wiped Emma's tears from her eyes.

"What if something does happen to her?" Emma said as more tears came. Somewhere inside her, she was still worried she was going to lose Ella like she almost did from the apple turnover. She just couldn't lose her sister!

"Oh sweetie, nothing is going to happen to her. She will be just fine. I promise." Snow said as David let Emma go. Emma immediately wrapped her arms around her Mom and cried. "Shh, sweetie. It's okay." She told her as she rubbed her back to soothe her.

David stepped up to them and wrapped his arms around both his wife and daughter, kissing Emma's head as he did. He couldn't help, but think of Ella being terrified as she was being wheeled to surgery. He felt like he failed her as a father. He couldn't even comfort her and then she left crying her eyes out calling out for both himself and Snow. She was terrified and neither of them were with her. It just broke his heart thinking of her crying and alone.


	28. Surgery Part 3

**A/N: So I wrote this, but then I was wondering if they would have to wait to put the cast on her leg since she just had surgery. I couldn't find the answer so I just have her in the cast again. I try to make the story realistic, but sometimes things end up being a little different then reality so just bear with me! Some of you might have experienced a surgery like this, but I haven't so I don't know all the details. I try to research it, but I don't always find the answers I am looking for.**

 **Anyway, I didn't want to leave you guys hanging since it was an emotional ending for the last chapter! So here is chapter 28. Enjoy!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 28: Surgery Part 3**

Ella was crying as they took her away from her family. She wasn't thinking normally and couldn't understand why they were letting them just take her away to the scary surgery. She wanted to be with them and not to be going to surgery! Yet they just let her be taken away! She felt betrayed by her parents! Emma was the only one that wanted to help her, but their Dad stopped her.

They got her to the operation room and took her inside of it. Ella was crying silently now as she looked around through blurry vision at the room.

"Hey what are you so upset about?" A nice man asked as he came to her side. "You're just going to sleep for a little bit and then wake up with your parents by your side."

"Really?" Ella asked through her tears.

"Really. Now can you count backwards?" The man asked nicely.

Ella nodded.

"Good can you count back from 10 for me?" The man asked.

"I guess." Ella said he started to put her under the anesthesia. "10, 9, 8, 7, 6….5….4…" Ella counted before she trailed off and completely fell asleep.

*****OUAT*****

One hour later (9:00am)

David, Snow, and Emma all sat in the waiting room as they waited while Ella was in surgery. They were able to calm Emma down after awhile and then came to the waiting room to start waiting for Ella to get out of surgery. Emma was getting restless as she sat trying to read a book. She kept looking up and down from her book to the secretary's desk.

David noticed and knew she needed a distraction. "Emma, why don't we go get something to drink from the cafeteria?" David asked even though it wasn't really a question.

"Okay." She said, thankful for the distraction.

"Snow do you want a coffee or a tea?" David asked.

"A tea would be nice." Snow said with a smile.

"Alright, we will be right back." David said as he and Emma stood up to go to the cafeteria. He put an arm around Emma's shoulders as they walked away.

"How much longer?" Emma asked as they got to the cafeteria.

"It could still be two to three hours." David said softly. "Surgeries take quite awhile."

"I hate waiting." Emma grumbled.

"I know, me too." David agreed sympathetically.

"You do?" Emma asked curiously.

"Of course. I know she will be okay, but I don't like waiting either." David told her gently.

"How do you know she'll be okay?" Emma asked seriously.

"I have faith that she will be." David said with a small smile.

Emma looked down with a frown. "I just wish she was out already."

"Me too, sweetie, me too." David said as he guided her to check out counter to order their drinks.

"Can I have a small tea, small coffee, and a small hot chocolate?" David ordered.

"Anything else?"

David looked down at Emma. "Do you want a snack?"

"Sure." Emma answered.

"Donut or a bagel?"

"Donut!" Emma responded in excitement.

David smiled. "Can I have two donuts and one biscuit?"

"Of course." The lady said. "That will be $6.75."

David pulled his wallet out of his pocket and handed her a ten-dollar bill.

The lady got his change and handed it back to him. "It will be right out."

"Thank you." David said kindly as he put his change back in his wallet.

"Hey Dad?" Emma asked as they waited for their food and drinks.

"Mm?"

"Can we get something for Ella at the gift store?"

David smiled softly as he heard her. "I think that would be a great idea, but let's get something after we eat our food, okay?"

Emma smiled, happy to be able to get something for Ella to make her feel better after her surgery. "Okay."

*****OUAT*****

Snow, David, and Emma all went to the gift store after eating. They knew that Ella wouldn't be out just yet and they wanted to find something together for her.

"What about this?" Emma asked as she found a gift she thought Ella might like.

"I think she would like that." Snow said with a smile at the gift.

"Me too." David agreed with a smile.

"Can we get her a card too?" Emma asked in excitement.

"Sure." Snow said with a grin at her daughter being so excited about giving a gift to her sister.

Emma went off to the cards as David and Snow followed her.

"She is being so sweet." David said quietly.

"I know. It's adorable." Snow said with a smile.

"She is so worried about her sister. I think that it goes deeper than just this surgery." David told her quietly as they stopped a little ways from Emma.

"What do you mean?" Snow asked in worry.

"I just wonder if she is still dealing with Ella eating the apple turnover and almost dying." David said as he looked at Emma in worry.

"Oh. I didn't think of that. She might have some a little PTSD from what happened." Snow said in worry as well.

"Possibly. We will just have to keep an eye on her." David said softly.

"We will. This whole transition is going to be harder on her than it will be on Emma. Not to mention that it will be more dangerous for her then it will be for Ella since she is the Savior. Some won't like her for being the Savior." Snow said in worry.

"I know. We will have to keep her close." David said seriously.

"We will. She is doing better with everything than I thought she would." Snow said.

"I know, she is, but I am not sure how long it will last before she has another break down." David said in worry. He knew that Emma was a long ways from just accepting everything and even really accepting them as her parents. She was calling them Mom and Dad, but that didn't mean it was smooth sailing from then on. There would be many challenges as they began their lives as a family.

"We will get her through it all as a family." Snow said confidently.

David smiled. "Yes we will."

"What about this one?" Emma asked as she came back over to them, showing them the card she found for Ella.

Snow took it to read it and David looked over her shoulder at it at the same time.

"I think that it is perfect." Snow said with a grin at her daughter.

"Me too." Emma said with a grin.

*****OUAT*****

2 hours later…

Snow, David and Emma sat once again in the waiting room waiting for word on Ella's surgery.

A nurse came out to them and both David and Snow stood up to talk with her.

"There was a complication, but Ella is out of surgery and being transported to recovery now."

"What do you mean a complication?" David asked worriedly.

"Her blood pressure dropped from the anesthesia during her surgery, but they were able to bring it back up with IV drugs. They will be monitoring her blood pressure closely in recovery." The nurse informed the worried parents.

"But she's okay?" Snow asked in worry.

"Yes and I can take one of you to sit with her if you want." The nurse said.

David turned to Snow, letting her know that she should go to her.

"Of course." Snow said to the nurse letting her know that she wanted to go sit with her daughter.

The nurse smiled and lead the way to recovery.

"Is Ella going to be okay?" Emma asked as she stood up and went to her Dad's side.

David smiled as he looked down at Emma. "Yes, she will be. She is just sleeping right now. It will take her a little while before she wakes up."

"When will we be able to see her?" Emma asked.

"When they take her back to her room. She will be in recovery for a little while and then get transported back to her room so we can go see her. Then will be able to take her home after that unless Dr. Whale thinks she needs to stay the night."

Emma's eyes widened at that. "But that won't happen right? Ella won't like that."

"It probably won't, but sometimes it does. It just depends on how she is doing and what the doctor feels is necessary." David told her as he led her back to their seats to keep waiting.

"Well I hope that doesn't happen for Ella's sake. She had enough days in the hospital with our mine accident." Emma said.

"You both did." David said remembering both Emma and Ella being in the hospital. He hadn't realized back then that he actually had two daughters in the hospital instead of just a foster daughter and his girlfriend's daughter. It was weird to think of not knowing who they really were back then.

*****OUAT*****

Snow followed the nurse to the recovery room and to Ella who was laying in her bed, looking quite pale against the white hospital sheets and blankets. Her leg was once again in a cast that went from just under knee to just above her toes.

"Is it normal for her to be so pale?" Snow asked quietly.

The nurse nodded with a kind smile. "Her color will come back slowly."

"And how long will it take for her to wake up?"

"It could be anywhere from a half hour to an hour. She probably will wake up for short periods and then fall back asleep. It normally takes a little while before they really wake up."

"Okay, thank you." Snow said as she made her way to her daughter's side to sit in the chair beside her bed. The nurse left as she did.

Snow gently took Ella's hand in hers. "I'm here, Ella." She whispered to her before leaning over her to kiss her pale forehead.

30 minutes later….

Ella started to stir and Snow immediately took her hand.

Ella groaned and slowly began to blink her eyes open. Her face was still pale as she woke. She saw her mom as she looked in her direction. "M-mommy?" She said in a raspy voice, having not had anything to drink since the night before.

"Hey sweetie." Snow said softly with a smile as she gently stroked Ella's head.

"It's over?" She slurred.

"Yes, baby, it's all over now." Snow answered her with a kind smile.

"Tired…" Ella mumbled.

"Then sleep, baby." Snow said gently as she stroked her hair.

Ella closed her eyes, but then blinked them open quickly. "D-Da-ddy?"

Snow smiled, realizing that Ella would most likely call David "Daddy" rather than "Dad" when she was tired or sick. She had heard her say it many times so far and she thought it was cute. "You will see him in a little bit."

Ella nodded as she closed her eyes, satisfied with the answer she got from her mother.

Snow smiled softly at her daughter as she drifted back to sleep. She then shot David a text to let him know that she had woken up.

 _Ella woke up! She was only awake for a few minutes, but she asked for you, her Daddy . I told her she would see you soon. –Snow_

 _Aww, I love that . Is she doing okay? – Charming_

 _Her blood pressure is still a little low, but they just gave her some medicine to help bring it up. They said that it was normal after it dropping during surgery. They are still keeping an eye on it. – Snow_

 _Good. I hope it gets back to normal. – Charming_

 _Me too. I'm just glad she woke up finally. – Snow_

 _Me too! Have they mentioned when she will be able to go home?- Charming_

 _No, not yet. I'll ask what they think when the nurse comes to check her vitals again. She is still so pale. – Snow_

 _Is that normal? – Charming_

 _I guess, but I don't like it. - Snow_

 _I don't either. – Charming_

The nurse came in before Snow could type back a response so she set her phone back down.

"She woke up for a couple minutes, but fell back asleep." Snow told her.

"Good." The nurse said with a kind smile.

"Do you know if she will have to stay longer because of her low blood pressure?" Snow asked.

"It just depends on how she does, but I doubt that she will have to stay much longer than normal." The nurse answered before finishing Ella's vitals.

"Her blood pressure came up a little so the medicine is working." The nurse said after she finished.

"Good. Thank you." Snow said kindly and the nurse left.

 _The nurse took Ella's vitals and her blood pressure is up a little. It doesn't sound like she will have to stay overnight. - Snow_

 _Good! I was hoping she wouldn't have to. – Charming_

 _Me too. She wouldn't like that at all. – Snow_

 _That's what Emma was saying - Charming_

 _How is Emma doing? – Snow_

 _She is antsy, but doing okay. – Charming_

 _I can imagine. I doubt it will be too much longer until she is moved back to her room. – Snow_

 _Good! We can't wait to see her! – Charming_

10 minutes later…

"Fire…there was…fire…" Ella mumbled as she slowly came to.

"Ella, you were dreaming." Snow said, not thinking much of Ella's mumblings.

"Mommy?" Ella blinked her eyes open and looked at her mom. "Everywhere…" She mumbled.

Snow frowned. "Shh…Shh, you were dreaming, sweetie." Snow said softly.

"Surgery?" Ella asked after a moment of thought.

"Yes, you had surgery, but it's over now."

"Home…now?" Ella asked and tried to get up.

"Uh uh." Snow stopped her daughter from getting up. "Not yet."

Ella frowned adorably. "Done, want to go…" she said sleepily.

"Soon, but not yet." Snow said as the nurse came over to check on Ella.

Ella looked at the nurse as she listened to her heart with the stethoscope and then check her blood pressure with the cuff that was already around her arm.

"Her blood pressure is still a bit low." The nurse told Snow before looking down at Ella. "How are you feeling?"

"Ok." Ella said in groggy voice.

"Can you rate your pain for me? One being lowest and ten being the highest."

Ella looked confused for a moment. "Uh I guess a 3."

"Thank you, Ella." The nurse said as she wrote done her response. "I'll be back in 15 minutes again."

"How much longer will she have to stay here in recovery?" Snow asked softly.

"Dr. Whale will be around soon to check on her progress and then if he gives the okay we will get her transfer back to her room. I would say probably at least another half hour." The nurse said.

"Ok, thank you." Snow said, thinking that maybe David could come sit with her until they transferred her.

Ella was already falling asleep again when she looked back down at her daughter. Snow took her hand in her hand. "Sweetie, Your Dad and I are going to switch so he is going to come and sit with you for a little while. Would you like that?"

Ella blinked her eyes back open and nodded.

"Alright, get some sleep and I will see you in a little bit." Snow said softly as she leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

Snow quickly texted David to say that she would come out and show him to where Ella was and then stay with Emma.

"Excuse me, I'm going to switch with my husband. He will be in a few minutes." Snow told the nurse before leaving to trade with David.

"Ok." The nurse said with a kind smile.

 **Hope you enjoyed this! :) The next chapter might not be up until the weekend. The week tends to get a bit crazy by** **Wednesday! :)**


	29. Recovery

**A/N: Updates might be a little slower now that I have you pretty much caught up to what I have written. I have a little more written after this for the next chapter, but that's it so far. Hope you like this chapter! Enjoy!**

 **Emma and Ella**

 **Chapter 29: Recovery**

"You just go through those doors and straight to the back of the room. You should see her from there." Snow said as she pointed to the doors. "The nurse said she probably will be there for another half hour. She said that Dr. Whale will be coming in to check on her before she moves back to her room."

"Okay, I'll let you know when they move her back." David said before heading to the recovery unit.

David found his way to Ella. He frowned at seeing how pale she was laying in her bed. She had a new cast on her leg that was a light blue color. He walked over and sat down in the chair beside her bed. She was sleeping just like Snow had said she was. He lightly stroked her hair as he took in her pale face.

15 minutes later…

Ella moved her head back and forth in her sleep and David frowned, knowing she couldn't be dreaming about anything good. He took her hand gently in his and tried to calm her by just speaking to her softly without waking her up.

It seemed to help for a moment before she started to get even more restless. His frown deepened and decided to try to wake her. "Ella." David said a little louder this time before shaking her shoulder gently. "Ella, baby, wake up."

Ella blinked her eyes open quickly and looked around frantically before seeing her Dad. When she saw him she sighed in relief and calmed down some. "Dad-dy…fire…" She mumbled to him in a sleepy voice.

David looked at her in confusion. "It was just a dream, sweetie. You're okay." David reassured her.

Ella seemed to relax after that, but still was sleepy. She was holding on to her Dad's hand pretty tightly though.

Dr. Whale came over after a few minutes to check Ella's progress and give her a quick exam to see if she was ready to be transferred. The nurse came as well.

David watched as Ella seemed more relaxed with them doing her vitals then she had before the surgery. He wondered if it was because she was still sleepy and little out of it from the anesthesia. He kept her hand in his while they did what they needed to.

"Ella, can you rate your pain for me? One being the lowest and ten being the highest." Dr. Whale asked after checking everything else and reviewing her chart.

Ella squinted up her face as she thought about it. David smiled as he watched her think about it. "Four…"

Dr. Whale jotted it down before looking at David. "She is doing well so I am going to have them take her back to her room. I want to keep her for a little while longer before we discharge her though so that we can watch her blood pressure. It's still lower than I would like."

"Is that normal?" David asked in worry.

"It is common with some children after surgery and normally clears up within a couple of hours of surgery." Dr. Whale told him.

"So it should clear up then?" David asked.

"Yes, but until then we will keep an eye on it." Dr. Whale said.

"Ok, good." David said as he looked back down at Ella.

"It will probably take the transporters about 10 to 15 to get up here to take her back to her room." Dr. Whale told him.

"Okay, thank you." David said before Whale left.

"Time to go home, now?" Ella asked in groggy voice.

"Not yet, honey." David said with a kind smile.

Ella frowned at him.

"It shouldn't be too much longer though. They are going to move you back to your room in a little bit then you will be able to see your mom and sister." David told her.

Ella yawned and tried to keep her eyes open.

David smiled at her trying to stay awake. "You can go back to sleep if you want, honey."

Ella frowned and shook her head no.

"Why not?" David asked softly.

"Not tired..." She mumbled with another yawn.

David smirked. "Then why are you yawning?" David asked with chuckle.

Ella looked at him with a tired smile, but didn't answer.

"Sleep, kiddo. I know you are tired." David said when she didn't answer.

Ella shook her head no again. "I have weird dreams here." Ella told him with a frown.

David gave her a sympathetic frown. "I'm sorry, sweetie. But they are just dreams. They aren't real." He told her softly.

Ella nodded, but still didn't try to fall asleep even though she wasn't far from falling asleep anyway.

"Just try to rest then." David said softly as he stroked her hair again.

Ella nodded and relaxed, knowing she didn't have to fall asleep. Although, she hadn't planned it, she ended up falling back asleep rather quickly.

David smiled softly as he watched her sleep peacefully. It didn't seem like she was having a bad dream which he was thankful for.

*****OUAT*****

Ella heard quiet talking as she slowly woke up. She blinked her eyes open to see her Dad looking at her. She felt someone holding her hand on the other side so she slowly turned her head to see her mom smiling down at her.

"She's awake?" Emma said as she came over to stand by her Dad. "I didn't think you would ever wake up."

"Time to go home now?" Ella asked.

David and Snow chuckled. Every time she woke up, she would ask the same thing.

"No not yet." David responded.

Ella pouted. She wanted to go home. She felt like she had been at the hospital all day long. Ella frowned in confusion. "What time is it?"

David and Snow smiled softly at her confusion.

"It's 1:15." Snow told her with a smile.

"Oh." Ella said, but still looked confused. She felt like it was way later.

"Can we give it to her now?" Emma asked her parents.

David nodded to her with a smile.

Emma smiled and ran over to get the gift and card they had gotten Ella. She made sure to hide the gift behind her back as she made her way back to Ella. She handed Ella the card as she said, "This is for you."

Ella was a little slow in responding, but she took the card and slowly opened it. She smiled as she read the card before setting it down on her lap. "Thanks." She said, not knowing there was more.

"And this is for you too." Emma said as she pulled the golden retriever puppy stuffed animal from behind her back.

Ella smiled in surprise. "For me?"

Emma nodded her head as she gave Ella the stuffed animal.

"Thanks, Emma." Ella said as she took the stuffed animal and put it under her arm without the IV.

Emma smiled. "Well I just picked it out. Dad and Mom bought it."

Ella smiled before looking between her parents. "Thanks."

David and Snow both leaned in to kiss her cheek at the same time.

"Your welcome, sweetie." Snow said softly with a kind smile.

Ella smiled tiredly, but then looked at her Dad. "Now is it time to go home?"

"No, sweetie. They have to discharge you first." David said with an amused smile.

Ella frowned, but then saw her light blue cast on her leg and her frown deepened.

Her parents and Emma followed her gaze as she saw her cast.

"Ugh another cast." Ella grumbled.

David and Snow exchanged an amused look at her grumbling at her cast. She knew she was getting one, but she must not have remembered until now.

"Does your leg hurt at all?" Emma asked.

Ella nodded her head in response.

David frowned.

"Is it the same as before or does it hurt more?" Snow asked in concern.

"More." Ella responded.

"I bet what they had her on in surgery is starting to wear off." David said as he stood up to see if he could catch a nurse to ask if she could be given something to help with the pain.

*****OUAT*****

"Her blood pressure has been stable so I am comfortable with discharging her. She will need to rest for the rest of the day. She will be a tired from the pain medication. Tomorrow, she can start using her crutches, but only a little. I want her to stay off it for most of the day."

Ella frowned. She had been stuck in bed or on the couch for the last two days and she would end up being in bed or on the couch for the rest of the day. And knowing her parents, tomorrow she would be off her leg as much as possible.

"I want her back here in three days to check on her. If you have any questions until then you can call the nurse or myself. The nurse will give you her discharge instructions and go through them with you." Dr. Whale continued.

"So when will she be able to use her crutches more often?" Snow asked.

"After I see her, I will clear her to start using them more. Until then just limit her time on them." Whale answered her.

"We will." David said.

"And don't let her walk on it without her crutches. I want her to keep her weight off of it as much as possible." Whale added.

Snow nodded. "Okay, we will."

"The nurse will be in shortly with her discharge instructions." Whale said before looking at Ella. "And I will see you in a few days."

"Ok." Ella said shyly.

Whale left the room and Ella frowned thinking of the boring days ahead of her.

"What's wrong, Ella?" Snow asked in concern.

"I just don't want to be stuck in bed." Ella said.

"You won't be stuck in bed the whole time." Snow said with a smile. "But you will have to stay off your leg."

"But he said I could use my crutches." Ella said seriously.

"Yes, but only a little." David said.

Ella knew she wasn't going to be able to get away with using her crutches more than she was supposed to. Not that she really wanted to walk right now because of her leg hurting, but she knew soon she would want her freedom back even if it was with crutches.

"It won't be that bad." Snow said with a kind smile at Ella. "Maybe I can find some school work for you to do…" She teased.

Ella's eyes widened. "No…" She whined.

Snow chuckled, but then began to get serious. "Thinking of school. We need to have a meeting with the town to get things going again. I know a lot of things have closed up after the curse." Snow said.

"We don't need school to be open." Emma chimed in.

David chuckled. "Yes, we do." He told Emma before looking back at his wife. "When should be have it?"

"Maybe tomorrow around 10:30?" Snow responded.

"Ok. I'll call Grumpy and Granny to get the word out." David said.

"Good. Then we can get school going again and decide what to do about Regina."

"Yeah, I know a lot of people are still trying to find love ones. Some people want to know if we can go back. It will be good to get everyone together and talk about the different issues to calm people down." David said.

"True. What about the girls?" Snow asked.

Ella and Emma looked at each other and knew that they would either have to go with them or have a babysitter again. They had both finally got to a place with their mom and dad where they could stay at home alone for short periods of time. But now that the curse broke their parents were extra protective.

David looked between his girls before looking back at Ella. "We could probably just take them with us. Unless Ella's not feeling good then we could get a babysitter…but I don't want her using her crutches too much if she does come with us."

"I agree. So we can decide tomorrow morning?" Snow said.

"Why don't you just let us stay at home alone?" Emma asked with a charming smile.

Snow laughed. "She got that smile from you."

David smiled, seeing what she meant.

"Until everything is settled and we know that no one is after either of you or us, we don't want you two alone." David answered after a moment.

"But we could lock the door." Emma said as she rolled her eyes.

David ignored her rolling her eyes. "We know, but that wouldn't necessarily stop someone from getting to you. Being the savior puts you in a dangerous position. Some people will not have liked that you broke the curse."

Ella frowned a little. It sounded like they were more worried about Emma than her since Emma was the savior. She understood, but she couldn't help the pang of jealous she felt. She pushed it aside though because she didn't want to be jealous of Emma.

"Ok, but I still don't think anyone is after me." Emma said.

"We hope not, but we aren't taking any chances." Snow said looking at Emma.

Ella frowned again. If they were just worried about Emma then why didn't they just leave her home and take Emma with them. "You could just leave me at home and take Emma." Ella spoke up.

"No, kiddo, we aren't leaving you home alone after having a surgery." David said quickly.

"But…" Ella started.

"No, Ella. Your father is right. We aren't leaving you since you can't even really walk and will be on pain medications." Snow said interrupting her.

"I can use my crutches." Ella said with a frown.

"You won't be using them too much and we would rather have someone with you when you do use them." David said.

"Then I just won't use them when you're gone." Ella continued to argue.

"Ella. We aren't going to be leaving you home alone or leaving both of you at home unless we have a babysitter." David replied firmly.

"Fine." Ella grumbled as she crossed her arms.

David looked at Snow with an amused look at Ella's grumpy attitude. Snow just shook her head in frustration at her daughter.

Ella knew she was more upset about feeling like they were more worried at Emma and just didn't trust her to be alone. A little part of her was thinking that they didn't want to admit to her that they weren't as worried about her as Emma so they were just saying they didn't want to leave her there alone.


End file.
